Fox in the Chicken Coop
by Murakami no Kitsune
Summary: Dean wanted answers and nothing was going to stop him from getting them. Not angels, nor pagan gods and most defiantly not some green eyed, redheaded monster. Even if he had to go to hell, again, to do it! An: Story is in the process of being edited, the Sequel is up and is titled "Snow of Time".
1. Logic is Panic

Logic is Panic's Prey

Prequel to "Fox in the Chicken Coop"

* * *

Their mom was in trouble, to say the least, worse yet a boy, no older then four had just walked into the garage, lugging a broken muffler.

He had hair as red and fierce as Anna's, who was currently fending off their mother attacking her with an angel blade.

They all paused, turning to look at the young man, he had the decency to look ashamed for walking in on them and took a step back from their stares.

"Watashi no kuruma wa koware, watashi wa tasuke ga hitsuyodesu. Watashi wa machigatta basho o motte imasu ka?" ("My vehicle broke down and I need help. Do I have the wrong place?") The boy asked apprehensively and Anna tilted her head, confused for a fraction of a second before she remember they were in a auto-repair shop.

"Sumimasen ga, anata ga warui toki ni kite imasu. Watashitachiha engeki no tame ni renshu suru koto ga dekimasunode, shoppude wa Ni~Tsu ni heisa." ("I am sorry, you have come at a bad time. The shop closed down for the day so we can practice for our play.") Anna explained and the boy bowed, accepting whatever she had said to him.

"Domo arigato. Moshiwakearimasenga, watashi no shin'nyu o yurushite imasu." ("I am sorry, forgive my intrusion.") The boy slipped back out of the door, however, the image of him was forever burned into the eldest Winchester's mind.

There was just something odd about a green eyed, red haired, Japanese boy suddenly showing up out of the blue. He would have pondered it further, but Anna took the momentary laps in attention as a good opening to fling his mother across the room.

The fight drug on, though in reality it had been seconds. Dean about crapped a brick of solid panic when he saw Anna over his mother, about to stab her. However, he was too far way to get there in time. He spotted the boy back at the door and then, quicker then Dean could blink, he was behind Anna, reaching up, he grabbed her hair and pull the angel off balance.

Furious, she turned to the boy, who was now looking panicked and backing away. She was ready to stab him when a sword appeared through her chest. Looking down in confusion Anna gasped, Dean saw his father, who had been thrown out of a window, holding the sword that killed her.

Only that thing wasn't his father, as it scolded Uriel, the angel Anna had tricked into helping her. Dean took a moment to look for the red headed boy, however, he was nowhere to be seen. Micheal put his fingers to Mary, his mother's head and she fell to the floor unconscious. Turning, he faced Dean, twisting his father's face into a stern frown.

"Dean, this conversation is long over due, I think." The thing wearing his father's meat suit said, Dean really wished he could just stab the damn thing in the face.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Supernatural or Yu Yu Hakusho. I can't lay claim to the plot line for this story, as I do not know if someone else has already used it, I like to think I was the first, but who knows.

Foreign Languages: Any foreign languages in this is from google translate and is only to demonstrate they are speaking in a different language. The translations are not exact and I apologies to anyone who actually speaks any of the languages used. I do not speak any language other than English.

Edit: This Chapter has been edited, let me know of any more mistakes that I may have missed!

Miss Spellings and All,

Murakami no Kitsune


	2. More Prequel: Dead Men Don

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

Post Prequel to "Fox in the Chicken Coop"...

As if one Prequel is not enough.

* * *

The next time Dean saw the redheaded boy, he was much older, though he looked as if he were in his late teens.

At least, Dean was pretty sure it was the same boy, even though he should be in his thirties instead of his late teens. Perhaps his Asian heritage aged him well or it was his son.

Who knew and Dean was not sure he had really seen him.

They were in the middle of a full-on Zombie-apocalypse.

Well... actually it was just The Apocalypse, but at the moment the dead were rising everywhere in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Dean saw a flash of red, not blood, this time, but hair, long and shiny. He was holding some kind of green rope and was fighting off a hoard of Zombies. There was an extremely short fellow beside him, however, the hunter passed getting a good look at the short one to get a better look at the one he recognized.

Emerald, met forest green and then a Zombie came between them and that was the last he saw of the redhead that day... err, night.

Dean neglected to mention it to Sam, just as he had the last time, before Michael, riding their father's meat suit, revived his brother.

Why he had not brought it up this time, he was still wondering. However, as they helped Bobby repair the door to his closet and the other holes that had been blown into the walls, the redhead faded from his mind.

This had to be one of the most grueling battles they had been in since the demon attack in Colorado. When Lilith killed everyone in the jail Henrikson had been holding them in. Dean had not thought of Henrikson since the seal of the witnesses had been broken and it left a bitter taste in his mouth at the next memory. Pushing down his the memory of of Lilith, he screwed the last hinge into the door before holding it up so Sam could put the pin in place.

Lilith and Henrikson were old news, no sense in beating a dead horse, or in this case, a demon and FBI agent.

"Hey Dean, you alright?" Sam asked as he turned from tapping the pins in to the hinge of the new closet door.

"Yeah, I'm good. Now how about we finish this up so we can get out from under Bobby's wheels. That old crank is going to end up shooting one of us and I don't feel like dying today." Dean gave a chuckle, picked up the putty knife and smeared a clump of plaster over one of the many bullet holes.

This would not be the first time he had dropped dead, probably would not be the last time, but he would be damned again if he died being shot by Bobby.

* * *

Edit: This Chapter has been edited, let me know of any more mistakes that I may have missed!

Miss Spellings and All,

Murakami no Kitsune


	3. Chapter 1: Biblical Proportions

Fox in the Chicken Coop

Chapter 1

Biblical Proportions

* * *

The hurricane they had been driving through was really bring out the 'apocalypse now' theme. The Muncie, Indiana hotel stood out in stark contrast to the gale raging outside it's carefully manicured trim.

Dean was tired, wanting a warm bed to curl up in for the night and even the dreariness of the building was not going to deter him. The hotel was almost calling his name and he ignored his brother's protests to keep going, despite the fact he too, was bone tired.

The car jerked to a stop almost of it's own violation and he rushed out to grab their bags, for all of Sam's bitching, he looked relieved to finally be out of the car. They were still trailing droplets of water behind them when they shuffled through the doors. Dean looked around appreciatively, noticing the clean and tasteful decor first.

"Whew. Nice digs, for once. Busy night." Dean whistled appreciatively casing the room.

"Any port in a storm, I guess." The clerk said with a dull chuckle, giving them what was supposed to be a welcoming smile. Instead it was far beyond creepy and dabbled into murderous territory.

"If you could just fill this out, please." He asked, sliding a form over the counter for Dean to sign, wasting no time.

"Sure, no problem." Dean mumbled as he filled out the necessary information, that was ironically false.

"Sir, I think... Shaving nick there." The clerk said, motioning toward a bleeding spot on his neck while handing over a tissue and their room key with a flourish.

"Oh. Thanks. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a coffee shop, would you?" Dean asked as his tummy gave an almost silent gurgle.

They had eaten the few snacks they had bought at a fuel station five hours ago and had not come across a good place to stop since then. If it was not for the storm, then Dean would have just switched places with Sam and continued on, but hunger dampened his enthusiasm.

"We have a buffet. All you can eat. Best pie in the tri-state area." The clerk boasted and Dean grinned, if he did not know any better, he would think they had died and gone to heaven, again.

"You don't say?" Dean pondered rhetorically, not needing further encouragement at the temptation of a warm meal and began making his way over to the tables of food he had seen.

A man stepped up next to him at the buffet table with a plate, his stomach was pudgy and Dean was not sure it was because the man had eaten a lot or because he was slightly over weight. The plate the he held looked as if it had already been filled and emptied once, meaning the man was back for a second or third helping.

He had every intention of making his belly pudge just the same as this guy, there was so much to choose from and so little room to put it.

"Heaven, right?" The man grinned, indicating the various desserts laid out on the table.

"Trust me, it's way better." Dean assured, the man gave him perturbed look at the conviction in his voice, but wondered off with his second helping instead of contemplating it further.

* * *

Dean was ambling his way back to where Sam had decided to sit when he breezed past an attractive woman, who's posture screamed to be left alone. However, not one to be deterred from a challenge, Dean paused, taking a step back to give her an appreciative once over. A flash of guilt tugged at his stomach as his lecherous thoughts had him wondering if the forlorn look on her face meant she had a rough day and might actually want some company, just to take her mind off things or if it was something more gloomy.

However, he was only fishing for a good reason to work up enough courage to talk to her.

"How're you doing?" Dean asked with a flirty, appreciative grin, taking a bite of pie in a way he hoped was sexy.

"No." Came her curt reply.

"But-"

"No." She repeated, cutting off his offended reply.

"Oh, lady, I'm just, you know-" Dean stammered, trying to recover from being shot down so harshly and possibly having irritated her for coming on so strong.

"I understand. And no." She repeated, ending the conversation as she twirled the cherry speared on a toothpick in her cocktail.

"Ten-four. Yeah..." Dean trailed off awkwardly, giving up the ghost on this one.

Any attraction he held for her was just salted and burned, the ashes stomped into the ground for good measure.

Two reasons a woman acts like that and neither would be in Dean's favor, as she would have to either be a lesbian or already dating.

* * *

His cell phone beeped, but he ignored it in favor of turning his attention to his less than ecstatic brother.

"Sam, unpucker man and eat something." Dean grunted, noticing Sam had not touched his normal food yet, let alone tried the desserts.

How that freak of a brother of his did not like sugar, he would never know. He supposed the one time college student redirected the sweet tooth to that fru-fru crap he called coffee.

Coffee was supposed to fill 98% of the mug, leaving just enough room to maybe squeeze in a spoon full of sugar and still have room to stir it.

Not foaming and nearly spilling over the edge of a 'cup'.

Maybe it was made with rabies, Dean had watched an odd show once, where one of the characters thought rabies made everything taste better.

"We should hit the road, Dean." Sam huffed, clicking on his laptop a moment longer before looking at his brother dejectedly.

"In this storm? It's-" Deal trailed off as a flash of red hair caught his attention.

As impossible as it may be, it was the boy, again, he was sure of it this time. The kid, man, stopped in his tracks, openly staring at Dean as if he were seeing a ghost. This caused the man that had been walking behind the redhead, a tall brunette with a Chinese garb on, to crash gracelessly into his back.

"It's biblical, exactly. It's friggin' Noah's Arch out there and we're eating pie." Sam lamented, only to realize his brother was no longer listening to him. "Dean!" Sam snapped, closing his laptop with enough force to get his brother's wondering attention.

"Dean, stop staring at some poor chick." Sam snapped, thinking Dean was gawking at women again.

"Wha- yeah, how many hours of sleep did you get this week? What? Three? Four? Bobby's got his feelers out, okay? We've talked with every hoodoo man and root woman in twelve states." Dean huffed, glancing back at the redhead, who's was now talking to the clerk as if nothing had happened.

The short man he had glimpsed that time with the dead rising in South Dakota, stepped into view. Dean could only guess he had not noticed him because of the room divider. The shrimp was barely a head taller then the four foot wall divider and now that he got a better look at him, there was something seriously wrong about the combined pair.

"Yeah, well, I'm not giving up." Sam declared resolutely and Dean nodded, only half listening to his brother's vow. However, once it set in what his brother had said, he turned his full attention back to Sam, clearly having misunderstood something.

"Nobody's giving up. Especially me. We're going to find a way to beat the devil, okay?

Soon; I can feel it.

And we will find Cas, we'll find Adam. But you are no good to me burnt out." Dean assured his brother, wishing he believed the words coming out of his own mouth.

Sure, he had no plan to say yes to Michael, however, he was having serous doubts about Cas and Adam, chances were their younger half-brother was already...

Dean shook his head, clearing the grim thought from his head, instead dropping his focus to the pie.

Pie was not going to end the world, killing everything in it.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." Sam relented, pleased Dean was not giving up, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself that things would work out.

Things never worked, not for them and defiantly not for those they cared about.

"Come on, we've actually got the night off for once. Let's try to enjoy it." Dean smirked, his gut told him it would not last, but his pie was not going to eat its self.

It was all too good to be true and with the arrival of that redheaded man, Dean wished he had listened to Sam about not stopping at this hotel.

So instead, he set his mind to high alert and decided he was going to get some answers when the time was right.

Revelations be damned, even the end of the world was not going to stop him from getting answers.

* * *

Edit: This Chapter has been edited, let me know of any more mistakes that I may have missed!

Miss Spellings and All,

Murakami no Kitsune


	4. Chapter 2: Oh My Godds

**Chapter 2**

Fox in the Chicken Coop

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Supernatural or Yu Yu Hakusho!

* * *

Dean had followed Sam to their room, only pausing in the hall long enough for the door to be opened and to gawk in amusement at a couple making out in front of the next room over. He couldn't help the painful question flittering across his mind, wondering if he would ever be that in love with someone.

Unlikely as it may be, if he did manage to miraculously unearth a person invincible enough to survive their life style, that wasn't a monster, he would be making a lot more noise then they were. Their soft giggles and groping was cute, though, so he moved into the room at his brother's encumbered glare.

Barely getting his bag, nearly empty save for a change of clothes and salt, set on his chosen bed, did a thump from the next room make him chuckle. That was, until the second thump nearly caved the wall in. Something was wrong, foreplay wouldn't be enough to cause that much damage and Dean had a bad feeling this was just the beginning.

Sure enough, all that remained of the couple, upon the duo's concerned breaking and entering, was the woman's wedding ring. As tempting as it was to simply keep it and ignore the case that was quickly forming, they made their way down to the lobby to investigate what was going on.

Chad, apparently the clerk's name, was standing behind the desk, typing away when they arrived minutes later.

"The, uh, the room next to ours... the couple that are, uh, joined at the lips... have you seen them?" Dean interrogated awkwardly, stealing a glance at his brother as Chad finally looked up at them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Logan, the honeymooners? They checked out. Is something the matter?" Chad inquired nimbly and Dean could almost swear he detected a hint of amazement, but he couldn't be sure.

"They checked out?" Sam challenged disbelieving, it was up there with the most ridiculous answers he had ever heard.

"Yeah... just now." Chad informed them, seemingly oblivious to Sam's suspicions, even though it was clear he was lying.

"Really? It sort of seemed like they were, uh..." Sam coughed awkwardly, trying to find a polite way to describe the romantically absorbed couple. "...in the middle of something." Sam countered, pressing the issue further, trying to get a reaction, but it wasn't quite enough.

"Yeah, it's kind of weird for honeymooners to check out without this." Dean all but smirked, pulling out the ring in triumph.

'Ah! Let's see him explain that one away.' Dean mentally gloated, thinking he had won this little farce.

"Oh, dear. I'll just put that right in the lost and found. Don't you worry. Is there anything else I can help you with?" Chad inquired and Dean felt like grabbing him by the hair and smashing his face into the counter. This prick was in for an ass-kicking if he turned out to be evil.

"No, we're good." Dean replied stiffly, turning from the counter. They were so going to keep an eye on this freak until they found out what he was, because there was no way that creep was human.

"Super-fantastic." Chad smiled, ending the conversation and the Winchester brothers made quick haste in getting away from the counter.

"Creepy." Sam whispered and Dean felt that didn't quite do it justice.

Who the hell says "Super-fantastic" anyway?

Monster douche bags, that's who.

"Broke the needle.

All right, well, I'll scope out the joint, and you keep an eye on Norman Bates over here. I mean, one night off. Is that too much to ask?" Dean complained, making his way toward the elevator with a withering sigh.

* * *

He had been strolling down one of the halls on the upper levels and things were quite, strangely so.

That was, until he saw 'it'.

Not the clown, but just as hard to explain to someone who hadn't seen for themselves.

He had seen a lot of strange things in his life, but the saying, 'there's an elephant in the room', just took on a whole new, and literal meaning for him.

However, when he looked again, there was a well rounded, dark skinned man standing where the elephant once was. Wrapping a towel around his previously naked flesh.

Strange, but not the first time he'd hallucinated things.

This was, however, the first time it was something semi-normal looking, but he decided to move on when the guy started to get angry and accused him of peeping.

Dean was many things, but homosexual wasn't one of them. Even if he was, the dude would have to look like a lady and that was if he was hopped up on drugs, drunk and had a goofer put on him.

Speaking of dudes looking like ladies, that boy, who Dean wasn't so sure was a boy, until now, had just bumped into him upon his return to the elevators.

"Gomen asai..." The boy trailed off, locking eyes with Dean. It wasn't much of a feat, as his stood perfectly level with the other man.

"Do I know you?" The boy inquired lightly, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion and eyes glistening with concentration.

"I was in the lobby earlier and-" Dean began to lie, but was cut off before he could deter the boy's curiosity.

"No, I have seen you before this place. It was couple months ago and before that even, when I was a child." The boy proclaimed, as if piecing together a complicated picture in his head that was missing several pieces.

"You haven't aged." He accused with a glare, suddenly it felt like the kid was much taller then him, his feminine build astoundingly intimidating.

Like he was a whole other person now, body, mind and spirit.

"Well, for starters, that isn't even possible and two, I could ask you the same thing, what were you doing in a town like that?" Dean defended, making it sound as if he was talking about the Zombie attack. It threw him off that he wasn't the one demanding answers and he probably looked like an idiot throwing the questions back at the kid.

"Fair question, but when you're on a business trip and suddenly people start coming back from the dead, one tends to question running into someone from that town again. Now explain to me how you haven't aged a day since I was two years old." The boy purred, curiosity blazing behind forest green orbs.

"I didn't, I mean I'm only thirty, I was born in '79, how could I have known you when you were two? Unless you were in a lower grade then me?" Dean stammered, realizing the 'Kid' was a couple years older then him, but the implying he was younger would make his ramblings more believable, he hoped.

"Wait a minute, you're not exactly rocking the aged fence either. How old are you? You look like you're seventeen, twenty at the most." Dean glared and the man smirked, predatory and mischievous.

"Yes, I look fantastic for my age, don't I? However, if we keep questioning each other like this without answering anything, then we won't get anywhere, now will we?" The man smirked, stepping closer and closer to Dean until he was forced to back up against the wall. For a breath of a second, Dean thought the other man was going to kiss him, if the look he was giving him was anything to go by, but an irritated sigh drew their attention.

"Kurama, kono baka ningen to nani o shite iru no ka?" #"Kurama, what are you doing with this stupid human?"# The short spiky haired man grunted, clearly not amused by the display. Dean remembered him being there during the zombie attack and earlier in the lobby.

His hair was unnatural and not just because there was a white star shape in his bangs.

No, the near eight inches of ebony hair standing strait up defied logic.

Creepy black duster and head-band aside, the runt looked threatening and Dean was almost sure it's eyes were red, but it could have been brown in the dark hall.

"Kare wa watashi o miryo shite imasu, Hei." #"He interests me, Hei.# Kurama chide the shorter man, he was grown man and could do as he pleased.

"Hn." Came the stoic response, if you could call it that.

"I would advise you returning to your room... it is unwise to wonder halls aimlessly." Hei's gratingly deep voice advised, clearly not amused by Kurama's antics as he turned from the pair.

"Nani ga jibun jishin de okonau koto wa, jirai no nai bijinesu wa arimasen. Tada, shitte iru anata ga shinunara, watashi wa anata o korosudarou." #"What you do on your own is no business of mine. Just know, if you die, I will kill you."# Hei vowed and made his way down the hall, Kurama's chuckle following in his wake.

"He called me a nasty name, didn't he?" Dean accused and Kurama shook his head, shrugging.

"No, he was scolding me, I tend to get a bit carried away when something catches my attention. I apologize if I've offended you or put you in an uncomfortable situation, but you are the man I met, correct? I mean when I was a child? Whether you admit it now or not doesn't matter, however, do know I will find out eventually." Kurama pushed and Dean relented, there was no way out of this so he would have to tell the truth.

Monster or not, he had witnessed Dean's time travel and was calling him out on it to his face.

"Yeah, whatever, it's a long story, but I'm not immortal or a highlander, so don't go chopping my head off." Dean grumbled and Kurama couldn't help the chuckle bubbling from his throat at Dean's offended scoff.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but I didn't peg you as a fan of Highlander; it was just so random. So if you're just a bit younger then I am, how is it you came to be fully grown in the past? Perhaps you have a Delorean instead?" Kurama inquired, trying to hold back his mirth at the slight teasing and Dean smirked, he was starting to like this guy. He was kind of like the Trickster, but it wouldn't stop the eldest Winchester from ganking him if he turned out to be something not human.

"Yeah, something like that, it even ran out of power when we landed." He wasn't lying, precisely, Cas had run out of angel mojo that day and they were afraid they were going to be stuck there forever.

"I see, well, that clears that up, I just happen to age well, it's genetic. I do unfortunately age, however." Kurama smirked, he was still hiding something and Dean didn't like the way he just accepted the fact time traveled was possible.

"What, that's it? No, you're crazy or it's an evil time traveling monster, must kill it?" Dean demanded and Kurama shrugged, backing away from the hunter.

"Believe it or not, I've seen stranger things. I should be going, my boss has a meeting that will be starting shortly and I have some tasks that need tending to." Karama excused himself, Dean went to argue, but thought better of it, he needed to go check up on Sam and the creepy clerk from hell.

There would still be time to figure out the whole Kurama mystery, but he had more important things to worry about right now.

Unless Kurama and the creepy clerk were behind the disappearances...

Deciding to keep an eye out for the redhead, Dean stalked the hall a little longer. However, after not seeing anything of interest, he then hit the down button for the elevator, going to the first floor for the lobby, where he hoped Sam had faired better then him.

oOo

Unfortunately, Dean's hopes were always just shy of being none existent, as Sam told him he had lost sight of Chad. Without the clerk to stalk, Dean informed Sam of the elephant incident, but once again, neglected to mention the redhead, Kurama. Time would tell if the he was going to be a threat and Dean couldn't place why he kept avoiding telling his brother.

A tiny part of him enjoyed the thrill of the mystery and he wondered if it wasn't reminiscent of his time in hell.

Frowning, Sam looked around the lobby, something wrong about the scene eluding him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

"So what the hell is... Where is everybody?" Sam asked, his track of thinking derailed after his brain caught up to what was wrong with the picture before them. A concern to their situation popped into his head and he rushed forward, pushing at the lobby doors, confirming his fear.

The doors wouldn't budge, meaning they had walked foolishly into a trap.

"Let me guess... it's locked. So what; the roaches check in, but they don't check out?" Dean snorted, he knew the answer and would bet the colt that he knew who was behind it as well.

"Think about how we got here. That detour on I-90? The friggin' hurricane?" Sam ranted, he was on a roll and Dean felt nauseous at him being right. Something was wrong in this little Pleasantville motel and things were about to get colorful as Dean drew the same conclusion Sam had.

"You saying we were led here?" Dean asked just to be sure, sure they might have run into something bad, but that didn't mean it was after them personally...

Yeah, right; who was he trying to kid?

They were always after them, the question now was, who and what it was for this time?

"Like rats in a maze." Sam confirmed, pulling out the gun he had tucked in the back of his pants.

Dean mirrored his brother's action, each taking a side of the room to scope out, checking for threats as they moved in tandem toward the kitchen area, the only place where there was sound drifting from.

* * *

The kitchens was empty save for a pot that was steaming away on the stove, sauce and other things splattering across the counters. It looked an awful lot like blood, the sauce that was and Dean chanted in vein for it to be tomato soup as he lifted the spoon rattling around in it. However, the eyeball floating in the ladle had him jumping back as if burned in surprise.

"This place is motel hell." Dean grumbled and looked up at Sam, who was approaching a freezer, apparently the boiling pot wasn't the only sound coming from the room.

A hand thumping against the glass, starling the both of them. It was human and the shouts for help had Sam scrambling to unlock the freezer. Screams and begging was muffled by the thick door, however, they were running short on time and Dean could just feel it.

"Hurry up!" Dean barked, he knew ordering his brother wasn't the way to make him work faster, but his nerves were on end and he hated not doing anything. Sam looked up and glared at him for the useless scolding, voicing his thoughts on the prodding.

"I'm going as fast as I..." Sam began to snap, however, his face morphed from angry to horrified and Dean felt like swearing. "...as I can." He finished, though it was a moot point now.

"There's somebody behind me, isn't there?" Dean sighed and all he could think about as he turned to his shadow, was that this was going to majorly suck.

Two men, though Dean doubted that's what they really were, stood behind him, bulking forms forming a wall of flesh, blocking any escape.

Needless to say, the fight lasted only a few seconds, their opponent having the upper hand in surprise and strength. The Winchester brothers were then man handled into a conference room, struggling only to irritate their captors more then actually trying to pry free from their iron like grips.

What they saw before them was a crowed of people, or rather, pagan gods, of all kinds, milling around a dinning table, waiting for something. Little name tags stuck to their clothing revealing names of each who were attending.

"Something tells me this isn't a Shriner convention." Dean joked and Sam shot him a disapproving glare, muttering for him to shut up.

Chad, though his name tag now read Mercury, wheeled a cart in with piles of food on it, a grin plastered on his face.

"Dinner is served." He announce and they all applauded him, however, one of them stood and motioned to the brothers, calming the pleased gathering.

"Ladies and Gentleman, our guests of honor have arrived." Baldur gestured and all eyes turned to them.

Kurama smiled and gave a curt bow to Dean, his companions giving him confused looks, some of which were murderous. The name tag of the one in the strange hat read Koenma and Dean had to assume Kurama's boss was a god. However, that didn't explain why Kurama was there though, the diminutive man from earlier was missing and things were staring to get heated between all of them as they took seats at the table, settling in for a meal Dean was sure was made from humans.

If they made it out of this alive, Dean was seriously considering taking a vacation.

Even if he had to spend it in Bobby's panic room.

* * *

Review please~


	5. The Legendary Thief! Yoko Kurama!

**Chapter 3**

Fox in the Chicken Coop

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Supernatural or Yu Yu Hakusho!

* * *

Baldur stood from his seat, taking his Champaign glass with him and his fork. Clinking the fork against the side of the glass, he once more drew the other gods attention to him. Most looked to him with a pleasant and respectful smile, though Zhao Shen was shooting dirty looks at Odin.

"Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for joining me tonight. Although in all my centuries, I never thought I'd see this. This many Gods under one roof." He beamed, Dean almost forgot they were in a room full of pagan gods who would rather stuff their entrails with sausage and have them for dinner, then have dinner with them.

There was arguing after Baldur explained his plan to use the brother's as bait, Zhao and Odin especially, though they could only understand one side of the conversation. Dean got the distinct feeling Zhao didn't like them, and hey, who could blame them, the two of them have been know to take down a pagan god or two.

Dean's tooth had ached and wiggled funny after the Christmas before he died, right up until Cas pulled him from hell.

Yes, it bothered him even in hell, though some days more then others, as Alistair often found it amusing to pluck his teeth out and call him sugar gums.

'Oh my sweet sugar gums, what are we going to learn today? Did you know, when you...' Alistair would trail off as he heated up his carving knife over the hot coals of the pit. 'Take a hot poker and ram it up the nostrils and give it a bit a twirl, you can pull a person's brain out. Egyptians used to do this to their deceased during the process of mummification. In fact, they would remove all organs to preserve the flesh and keep it from retaining moisture, thus preventing it from rotting away. Then they would put the organs in nifty little jars like this.'

Alistair would gloat, always so proud to show his star pupil a new trick, a handy talent or a necessary evil.

It was bullshit, Dean still didn't buy into half of what Alistair said, things about his Daddy, what a whore his mummy was (yes, he was that corny). He even went as far as to say even though hell moved slower for normal souls, for Dean, it would be a hundred times that much for him. That even if he didn't want to admit it, he was already a demon, cruel and greedy. Non of it was true, or he was pretty sure it wasn't, but damn that bastard sure knew how to torture.

He could make even the reluctant to harm, passionate about it; make them love to torture.

Like a fan girl dragging some poor sap into her obsession of a television show.

"Enough!" A shout came, startling Dean out of his thoughts, thankfully. Sam gave him a questioning look at the twitch, the urge to grab his gun, but Dean half shrugged and focused his attention on the man who had interrupted the fighting. He had almost forgotten where they were and why.

"Look, it would be ill advised to kill them, they're too valuable alive. What you all fail to understand is how grave this situation is exactly. I know most of us think ourselves powerful, I being no exception, but a rule of the universe, karma or whatever you call it, is that there is always something stronger. Sure we might be able to take down a foot soldier of theirs, maybe even a higher rank, but we've never faced an Archangel, we don't even know if we could survive an attack from one or maybe even two of them." Koenma stated, he was the one making the most sense so far and Dean found himself agreeing, not just because the others wanted to kill him.

Know thy enemy was one of the top Winchester rules and who or whatever this Koenma was, he couldn't be too bad if he was at least willing to research first before jumping into a fight. Something even he had problems with more often then he would like to admit.

"We have to fight. The angels, the only thing they understand is violence. This ends in blood. There is no other way, it's them, or us." Kali argued, she had been the beautiful woman Dean had spotted earlier, it was a shame she turned out to be one hell of an evil bitch.

'Ha, say that five times fast Mercury! You creepy pagan, filthy, mother, douche nozzle of all douche baggery.' Dean grumbled, wishing, not for the first time in his life, he could just make the weapons he needs to kill evil sons of bitches appear out of thin air.

"With all due respect, ma'am, we haven't even tried talking to them." Mercury began to say, demeaning Kali and it took Baldur to keep her from killing him.

Damn, and Dean had thought maybe his wish of the bastard dying would be granted, some gods they were.

"I agree with Kali to an extent, talking isn't going to work with them, I sent one of my most loyal assistants to send them an invitation and all I received back was his soul waiting in line to be sorted. However, like I was saying before, we shouldn't rush this and we most defiantly do not want them getting their true vessels, if they prove problematic now, just imagine what it would be like if they were at full-" Koenma stammered to a halt mid sentance as the doors to the room burst open.

There, in the doorway, stood none other then the bastard they had gone to for help just a few short months ago.

Sam went to say his name in surprise, but when he was cut off, Dean went to ask what was wrong; only to find he couldn't speak either.

"Can't we all just get along!" Gabriel chide playfully, like he knew it was impossible, and maybe it was, but wanted to be the annoying one to point out the obvious.

"Loki." Baldur growled, shocking the Winchester brothers.

Loki was one of the most famous pagan tricksters out there, even before they knew he was an Archangel and thought he was a trickster god, they never once thought he would be THE Trickster god. Even Dean knew the legend of Loki, making him wonder if angels could have kids, or if that part was just myth.

It made sense in an ironic kind of way, now that Dean had a chance to think about it.

"Baldur; good seeing you too.

I guess my invitation got lost in the mail." Gabriel asked rhetorically, he knew he hadn't been invited and if Dean remembered anything from Norse Mythology, Loki was pretty much hated by all pagan gods.

"Why are you here?" Baldur demanded, Dean could practically see the tension in the air between them and a hoard of angry gods.

"To talk about the elephant in the room." Gabriel grinned, but it slipped from his face with an exasperated sigh when Ganesh stood angrily.

"Not you. The Apocalypse. We can't stop it gang. But first things first." Gabriel informed them, turning a smirk on the Winchester brothers, Dean didn't like that look.

"The adults need to have a little conversation, check you later." He said with a snap of his fingers and Dean had enough time to blink before the room they were in, changed to that of one of the hotel rooms.

* * *

Looking around, just to make sure they were in fact, not in the room with a bunch of hungry, pissed, pagan gods, Dean turned to Sam who was just as baffled as to what happened.

"Ok, did that- Holy crap!" Wigging out slightly, Dean couldn't come up with the words to describe what had happened in that meeting.

"Yeah, tell me about it. By the way, next time I say lets keep driving..." Sam said, snapping his hands in a way to get a point across. "Uh, how about we keep driving!" He shouted, pissed at Dean for caving the second he saw a promising night off.

"Yeah, fine. Next time." Dean agreed, it wasn't worth the trouble they got into and Dean would take a night sleeping in the Impala over this shit any day of the week.

"Alright, so what is our next move?" Sam asked and Dean mentally swore. He was hoping the geek college brain of his brother's would have the answer.

"I-I-I... I don't know. Grab those poor saps out of the freezer, I guess? Bust them out? Gank a few freaks along the way if we're lucky?" Dean stammered out, tossing the idea on the table, it was a piss pore shot at best and they would be lucky to get themselves out, let alone all those people.

"And when are you ever lucky?" Gabriel inquired and Dean wondered if the angel had been reading his mind, voicing his thoughts.

"Well you know what, bite me Gabriel. " Dean shot back lamely, hard to argue with someone when you were just thinking the same thing and agreed with them.

"Maybe later big boy." Gabriel half teased, though he seemed more distracted then really trying to crack a joke.

A thought crossed Dean's mind and he snorted, almost amused, but too pissed to actually enjoy it.

"I should've known. I mean this had your stink all over it from the jump." Dean fished, trying... no, hoping this was just a prank of the wayward Archangel's.

"You think I'm behind this? Please. I'm the Costner to your Houston. I'm here to save your ass." Gabriel scoffed, offended they would think he would pull something as lame as this.

Surely they knew him better by now, he had way more class then those scumbag down stairs.

"You want to pull us out of the fire?" Dean asked in disbelief, after all the shit he put them through... now he wanted to help?

Couldn't blame a guy for being suspicious, and boy, did Dean have a feeling Gabriel was up to something besides being their guardian angel.

They didn't need another one, thank you very much, that post was filled.

What they needed was muscle and now he was regretting agreeing to go along with Sam's stupid idea to ask for help to begin with.

"Bingo! Those guys are either gonna dust you, or use you as bait. Either way; you're uber boned." Gabriel declared, though he didn't sound a bit remorseful at that revelation.

"Wow, cause a couple of months ago you were telling us that we need to play our roles . You were uber boning us!" Dean snapped, once again wishing for something to kill the bastard with, going as far as to humor the thought of seeing what kind of damage shoving a pen into Gabriel's eye would cause.

"Ohh... The end is still nigh. Michael and Lucifer are gonna dance the lambada, but not tonight. Not here." Gabriel assured them, he knew something and the mysterious act was beginning to get on Dean's nerves.

"And why do you care?" Because really, like the angel would actually care about them, even Castiel, who had grown an affection for them, left Dean wondering exactly how much the almost former angel actually cared.

"I don't care, but, me and Kali we, uh, had a thing. Chick was all hands. What can I say? I'm sentimental." Gabriel lied, or at least he wasn't telling the whole truth.

For an Archangel turned pagan trickster god, he sure as hell couldn't lie very well.

Well... he could better then Cas, anyway, not like it mattered though, Dean still saw through it.

"Do they have a chance? Against Satan?" Sam asked a little more hopeful then Dean liked, when was he ever going to have enough of trusting monsters? When was he going to learn that nothing good ever came from it?

"Really Sam?" Dean asked irritably and Sam shot him an apologetic look, Bitch Face number 'I lost count', but he wasn't going to drop it.

"You got a better idea?" And there it was, the ultimatum, come up with something better or we're going to go down the not sp smart path just because it looks like the best option. For being so intelligent, Sam could be a real idiot at the worst of times.

"It's a bad idea. Lucifer's gonna turn them into finger paint. So lets get going, while the going's good, hmm?" Gabriel prompted, they were running out of time and even Dean could feel the magic stirring in the air.

They had been gone too long and the other gods were getting impatient with 'Loki's' absence.

"O.K. Great, why don't you just zap us outta here then?" Dean wondered, figuring Gabriel hadn't done that in the first place with all the gods standing around, but he should have no problem now.

"Would if I could, but Kali's got you by the short and curlys. It's a blood spell. You boys are on a leash." Gabriel informed them with a sigh and there you have it, the real reason Gabriel was deflecting.

"What does that mean?" Dean questioned the Archangel, even though he had a pretty good idea, but he wanted to hear it from the bastard's mouth.

"It means it's time for a bit of the old, black magic." Gabriel grinned, opening his mouth to squirt some breath freshener in it, not that it probably mattered, they never noticed Cas smelling funny, most likely something to do with the fact he was an angel.

* * *

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I do believe I detected a strong bond between her and Baldur." The warning drifted softly from the doorway, they hadn't heard a thing and all of them jumped at the sudden intrusion.

"You!" Gabriel exclaimed and then paused, frowning. "No, wait, I don't even know who you are... what god are you?" Gabriel asked and the Winchester brothers were surprised Gabriel didn't already know.

"My apologies, I am Yoko Kurama, I once was the great Thief lord of Makai (Demon World), I didn't quite make it to pagan god status before my demise and ultimate rebirth. I believe Inari had that honor though." Kurama smiled charmingly and ran a hand through his hair, stuffing the other in his pants pocket. "I did, however, work for Koenma as a spirit detective and were he is still young, he's elected a friend of mine and I to act as his personal watchmen. It's nice to get away and do something normal for once." Kurama chuckled lightly, Dean idly wondered if the man was capable of being loud and then mentally slapped himself for how wrong that sounded.

"Wait, you mean Enma has a brat of his own now? When did that happen?" Gabriel asked, getting off track of the problem at hand.

"Several centuries now, it was an honor to work for him and with my comrades during the time we were appointed the titles spirit detective." Kurama informed him anyway. "My previous life aside, you can't go to Kali, she will find out who you are and you don't have the kind of time you would need in order to get those vile of blood you seek." Kurama smiled, Dean wanted to punch his face in, this bastard was playing with them and it reminded him so much of Gabriel at the moment he was seriously questioning the man's motives.

"Oh yeah and who says Kali's feeling for me wouldn't be just the finesse I need to get what we want?" Gabriel challenged, offended that this demon, though the brothers didn't know that yet, thought the Archangel couldn't pull it off.

"I would, for starters, like to point out she's moved on from you and you know what they say about hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Secondly, which is why we're so crunched on time, is that a rat is among us and your brother, the fallen one, is on his way as we speak." Kurama smirked, enjoying the torment he was putting them through.

"Obviously you're getting your rocks off to this, so I'll play along and ask what you're hinting at. None of that has anything to do with us getting out or here. Gabriel, or someone, is still going to have to get those vile of blood from Kali. How do we do that, you obviously have some clue or you wouldn't be jerking us around." Sam snarled, voicing what Dean had been thinking and it left him wondering if he was mentally an open book for them to read whenever they wanted.

"You mean... these vile?" Kurama asked, pulling the hand from his pocket to revile said subject of the topic.

"Oh, you're good, how did you get past Kali, did you-" Gabriel began to ramble, impressed by the feat, however, Dean cut him off, glowering at Kurama.

"What's it going to cost us?" Dean demanded to know, nothing for them was ever free and he hoped to God, if he was still listening, that the price wasn't too steep to pay.

"You fascinate me, both of you and your angel friend there. You're different, human, but not quite, a little something extra bred into your genes to make you more durable perhaps." Kurama all but purred, Dean had seen this look earlier in the hall...

Like a cat that had just gotten the canary. A hunter taking down it's prey and reaping the rewards.

"What?" Sam and Dean said in unison, looking at each other in fear.

No way were they anything but human! Their minds protested, but that rock in their guts told them that there might be truth to those words...

It wasn't the first time either of them had been told that.

"We can investigate that further at a later time, Hei, the other... man that accompanied me, has informed me that Koenma is safely through the portal to Ningenkai (Spirit World) and that we should make haste in following. A portal will open momentarily and I strongly suggest you follow me if you wish to, ironically, remain alive." Kurama implored them, stepping away from the door and making his way toward the window overlooking the back of the hotel.

"We can't go with you, how can we trust you?" Sam questioned, looking to Dean and then Gabriel, but he wasn't seeing any other option and to his dismay, it didn't look the other two were either.

"You two are going, I would rather take my chances in spirit world then with a mob of angry gods." Gabriel said, shoving them toward the window just as it began to shimmer.

"Wait, we're not going! What about my car!" Dean shouted trying to resist being shoved in vain, Gabriel was far stronger then them and it gave them only a little comfort knowing he was going with them.

"Forget your damn car! Now go through the portal!" Gabriel shouted shoving Sam first, but Dean was being stubborn.

"No! They'll ruin her, she's coming with us or we're staying!" Dean fought back, slipping Gabriel's grip by some chance.

"Alright! Fine, you go and I'll just hop a cloud behind you. Besides, if Lucifer is really on his way, I want to get Kali out of here or warn her at the very least. I..." Gabriel said, looking away from Dean in shame and embarrassment for actually caring about someone other then himself.

"Alright, but one scratch and I really will deep-fry you extra crispy!" Dean said, allowing Kurama to lead him through the portal.

Car or not, once Sam had been shoved through, Dean would have followed anyway. As if he would just leave his brother in some strange place by himself.

A familiar sensation washed over Dean as he entered the portal, though it was heavier then he remembered.

Wherever this portal lead, it wasn't meant for people who still had a pulse.

* * *

AN: Thank you for reading! I hoped you enjoyed the chapter and will return for the next! Please review!


	6. Koenma of the Spirit Realm!

**Chapter 4**

Fox in the Chicken Coop

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story, not the characters nor the plot! I hope you enjoy it despite that!

* * *

Gabriel turned from the portal as it closed. He didn't have much time, the other gods would have felt the mojo it took to open that door and he wanted to get to Kali before the shit hit the fan.

"Loki! What have you done!" Kali sneered when Gabriel appeared before her, a guilt ridden look smeared across his face.

"Kali, you have to get out of here, Lucifer is on his way, one of the others betrayed us! I've sent the prisoners somewhere safe for now, it'll take that moron a while to find them, but you have to go now! We're not ready to fight something so strong yet!" Gabriel pleaded, reaching for her, causing her to flinch away from him.

"You're lying! This is just another one of your idiotic pranks, you never take anything seriously. Even if that monstrosity is coming here, I never back down from a fight." Kali hissed, anger broiling beneath the flesh of the form she had choose to take.

"I'm not lying and I always took our relationship seriously, you just didn't believe me. I know things didn't work out between us, really I do, but it doesn't stop me from caring. We're over, I understand, but I don't want to see you be torn to bits by those Christian douche nozzles!" Gabriel begged, he could feel his brother in the building. Mercury, his first victim's life force vanishing as the presence of the Archangel moved on to bigger prey.

They were out of time.

"Did you feel that?" Kali inquired, her frown turning from angry to worried, she had sense Mercury's death, all of the gods had.

"The rest will follow, just leave, before it's too late." Gabriel begged, holding a hand out to her, it felt reminiscent of Aladdin holding his hand out to Jasmine, but this fairy tail, he knew, would end in blood. His fate sealed as Kali's nail slash over the palm of his hand.

"You fool, I know who you are; what you are. And now you have no choice but to fight with me, I own you, Gabriel." Kali sneered, thinking she had won.

In truth, she had; if there was one person Gabriel would die to protect... it was her, hands down.

All six of them, heh-heh.

Allowing himself a smirk at his own humor, Gabriel rolled his eyes and produced a DVD case.

"You're right, Kali, just, let me take care of my brother. If- If I don't make it out of this alive, send this to Sam and Dean, only they will be able to open it and it may very well be the only thing to stop my brothers." Gabriel requested, he was bound to her, so it really wasn't an order, but he knew she would do this one last thing for him.

That last little spark they had for each other would see to that.

"You can give it to them yourself when I have you retrieve them, that way I can rip out their spines." Kali vowed, but there wasn't any heat behind it and they both knew it.

Right now, at this very moment, they were just going with the motions, her pride wouldn't stand for anything less.

Both knew there would be no tomorrow for one of them and Gabriel was content in the knowledge that he finally was going to stand up to his brother, be the angel his father could be proud of.

He just prayed it would be enough for his father to forgive him for leaving in the first place.

Oh, and for Sam and Dean to forgive him for picking on them. It wasn't their fault they were what they were, destiny was just a bitch that way and damn if he wasn't going to throw a wrench in her plan.

Even if it was the last thing he did.

Which... it probably would be.

* * *

Dean was pissed, he could hardly move, it was hot and the little dude with Kurama kept glaring at him. So naturally Dean returned the favor; glaring childishly right back at him.

They were lead into a big room and a desk that stood taller then he thought was necessary. In a comfortable looking chair sat a toddler, scribbling on papers and playing with a stamp.

Or so Dean thought, when it looked up at him and began speaking, with intelligence a child shouldn't have, was staggering to say the least.

"Ah, Winchesters, I'm glad you made it safely. I was afraid my liaison hadn't made it in time." The toddler remarked, speaking well for a kid sucking on a pacifier.

"Dude, what's with the kid acting all bossy?" Dean asked and Hiei snorted, trying in vein to keep the smile from creeping across his face.

"I am Koenma! And you would do well to show a little more respect! I might not have influence over where western people are placed in the here after, but I'm sure exceptions can be arranged." The toddler snapped and the brothers shared a confused look.

"But I thought that other guy,Koenma, was in charge, are you his son?" Sam questioned, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"No, I only use that form when I am in public. As you can see, many don't take me seriously despite my age when I appear like this." Koenma explained, closing his eyes in frustration at having to explain this. Dean got the impression that he had to do this quite often and Sam was suddenly not to sad about his over baring height.

Neither brother wanted to look as if they were a child for the rest of their lives.

"No wonder the brat needed body guards, he can barely see over the desk." Dean muttered to Sam who frowned disapprovingly at him.

"I'll have you know my hearing is far better then a humans, so if you have something to say about me, say it to my face." Koenma snapped, slamming his hand down on his desk, resisting the urge to throw himself onto his desk and have a fit. The eldest Winchester boy reminded him of his previous head detective and he wasn't going to stand for the belittling.

"No need to get your diaper in a bunch, even Sam, as big of a boy as he is, still needs a babysitter, don't-cha Sammy." Dean teased and patted Sam on the back, much to the annoyance of said Winchester.

"No, I really don't, it's you who needs to be watched." Sam retaliated, suddenly having the urge to stoop to Dean's level.

"Enough! I won't stand for the blatant disrespect again. You two are currently under my protection at the request of Kurama, it's dangerous to be harboring the two of you and I would have left you to your fate if not for the simple fact a certain ex-employee of mine can't contain his curiosity." Koenma growled and Kurama could hardly contain his smirk.

"Consider it retribution for dragging me from my job, as much fun as this was, my step father wasn't please with my disappearance and I had to resign from my real job in order to help you." Kurama said, however the amused smirk still in place confused the brothers, the guy didn't look too upset over it, but Koenma shrinking back from him said different.

"I realize you put that life behind you and I greatly appreciate you coming out of retirement early, but you know if Yusuke left the Makai all-, pardon the pun, all hell would break loose." Koenma apologized for the hundredth time, the paper work this would involve was going to set him back for a long time. All those gods weren't going to send themselves to their determined destination.

"Wait, you all lost me, what's going on and why isn't Gabriel here yet?" Dean demanded and Koenma actually looked afraid to answer that.

"Well, Kurama here has been living a human life working at his step father's corporation." Koenma said deflecting their attention to Kurama and ducking behind his desk at the daggers said man was shooting him.

"What Koenma means is that Hiei and I are great friends for not declining his request to accompany him to that meeting and that he's going to pay us handsomely to compensate for the fact I now have to find a job and mend bridges with my parents.

Because if he doesn't I'm going to let the demon out of the bag and create as much havoc as I possibly can out of sheer boredom." Kurama said in a sickly sweet and friendly tone that was in stark contrast to his words.

"R-right, as Kurama said, I'll have it to you before you leave. George!" Koenma shouted and it took everything Sam and Dean had, not to jump at the sight of the lumbering Ogre in a tiger print loincloth.

"Holy shit, it's a balding, blue version of you Sam." Dean chuckled nervously and Sam was too surprised to even put up an offended retort.

"You called your highness?" George asked and Koenma nodded from under his desk.

"Yes, I would like you to bring the papers and paychecks for this evening meeting. It'll be the two big stacks with Hiei and Kurama's work folders on top." Koenma informed his secretary. George bowed and scurried off to do as he was asked, leaving the two Winchester brothers to relax marginally.

"What the hell was that?" Dean demanded and Sam pursed his lips in distaste, having not expected to see something that was clearly monster material.

"I think it was an Ogre or a troll? Do those even exist?" Sam said unsurely, however they had seen some strange things over the years that even they hadn't believed were real.

"Yes, George is an Ogre, very good eye Mr. Winchester." Kurama complimented, the youngest bothers' intelligence surprised him, he had been around incompetent corporate morons for far too long, perhaps loosing his job was a blessing in disguise.

"Right, whatever, I'm too tired to even care right now. What about Gabriel?" Dean sighed, he had about a hundred other questions, but he had a sinking feeling the proclaimed god was avoiding answering his question.

"Well, you see-" Koenma stuttered and shrank back as if they would forget about him if they couldn't see him.

"Loki has fallen at the hand of Lucifer." The rich tone of Kali spoke and she strode into the room, a DVD case in her hands.

"He what! He said he'd be right behind us, what about my car?" Dean demanded and Kali scoffed at him in distaste.

"Your car is somewhere called Singer Salvage, Loki made sure it arrived there before he did anything else. He also entrusted this to me, said to protect it with my life and be sure it made it into your hands." Kali said, tossing it at Sam who fumbled with it before getting a firm grip on it. Something rattled inside and cautiously Sam opened it.

"It's a Casa Erotica DVD and two..." Sam picked up the two little pieces of metal and turned them over in his hands. "I don't know what these are, Kali did-"

Sam began to say, but when he looked up Kali had already left.

"May I see?" Kurama inquired and peered into Sam's hand. "I do believe those are ear cuffs of some kind, I sense a strong Rei coming off of them."

Sam frowned dropping them back in the case and looked to Koenma who deemed it safe enough to return to his seat.

"If you like I have a DVD player, I can put it up on the screen?" Koenma offered and a DVD slot popped up on his desk.

Sam and Dean shared a questioning and answering glance before Sam walked up to the desk and handed it to the child like god. A screen lowered from somewhere and woman writing in a diary laid out on a bed appeared. There was a knock on the door, informing her that room service was there and she told him to enter.

"Gabriel wanted Kali to guard this with her life?" Sam wondered, slightly disturbed they were watching a porn in a room full of potential enemies. He let Dean watch for the most part and was keeping an eye on their surroundings.

"Maybe he's a fan. It is a good one." Dean half shrugged, turning his full attention back to the screen.

In walked Gabriel, hair slicked back, obvious fake mustache and cheesy waiter uniform.

_"I've got the grilled bass you ordered."_ Gabriel purred to the hot blond on the bed.

_"Oh, Polish?"_ She asked and he grinned.

_"Hungarian."_ Gabriel growled devilishly, tossing the tray and tackled her in heated kisses.

"What the hell is going on?" Sam demanded in confusion, if this was just going to be some sick porno with Gabriel, then he would rather be fighting a hoard of demons right about now.

Gabriel pauses in his passionate groping of the hot babe in his arms and looks up at the camera with a cocky grin, ripping off the mustache.

_"Sam, Dean. You're probably wondering what the hell is going on." _Gabriel parroted what Sam had just said, to the surprise of the occupants in the room.

_"Well, if you're watching this; I'm dead. _

_Oh please! Stop sobbing, it's __embarrassing for all of us."_ Gabriel proclaimed dramatically, as if they were really that torn up about his death... well, not to the point of crying over him, they didn't like him THAT much. However, it still stung a little that yet another person died for them.

_"Without me, you've got zero shot at killing Lucifer, sorry!_

_But you can trap him. The cage you sprung Lucifer from? It's still down there._

_And maybe, just maybe, you can shove his ass back in._

_Not that it'll be easy. You gotta get the cage open, trick my bro back into it. And uh, oh yeah, avoid Michael and the God Squad._

_But hey, details right? And here's the big secret, Lucifer himself doesn't even know; the key to the cage?_

_It's out there._

_Actually it's keys, plural. Four keys, well, four rings. From the horsemen. You get'em all, you got the cage. Can't say I'm betting on you boys._

_But uh, hey! I've been wrong before._

_Also, enclosed in this erotic master piece are two very special ear cuffs for you wonder twins. They're Babble ear cuffs and there's one each for you mutton heads, so no fighting over them."_ Gabriel scolded playfully and pointed a finger at the screen.

_"They'll translate any language, and I've added a touch to them of my own. They'll accelerate healing, not by much, but you'll find minor cuts heal over night, broken bones heal in half the time, so on and so forth. It's my final parting gift to the two of you._

_And Dean, you were right._

_I was afraid to stand up to my brother, but not any more."_ Gabriel declared confidently, standing to his feet.

_"So this is me, standing up."_ Gabriel boasted with pride and then a lecherous grin spread across his face.

_"And this is me, lying down."_ Gabriel grabbed the woman and fiercely ripped off her clothes, then began making love to her.

* * *

"Oh, uh, oh! Oh man! Shut it off!" Sam shouted, clamping his eyes shut to block out the image before him.

"That's more of that feathery douche bag then I ever wanted to see." Dean stated with a shudder, but otherwise was no worse for wear.

"Indeed." Kurama agreed and crunching beside them drew their attention to Hiei, who stood stoically, bag of popcorn in one hand and a frown at the fact the movie had been shut off.

"It was just getting to the good part." Was Hiei's simple answer and Kurama shook his head at his friend's antics. How the fire apparition was related to someone as sweet and innocent as Yukina, he would never know.

"This is better then I thought, for once I'm glad one of Kurama's escapades turned out to be a valuable lead." Koenma said with a relieved sigh, this just made all the paperwork for this case worth the effort.

Sam tucked the DVD case back into his jacket and moved to stand closer to Dean.

"I think we should get back to Bobby's, so if you would open up one of those handy dandy swirling vortex things, we'll be on our way." Dean said half heartedly, he had a feeling that wasn't going to happen, especially the part where Gabriel had given them translation earring things. Why would they need that? Sure it might help during a hunt, but more often then not they managed to get by.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, it's simply just to dangerous to open another portal to the united states right now. Lucifer will be looking out for it, so I suggest you return to Japan with Kurama here until things cool down and I can get you fake passports to fly ov-" Koenma began to inform them when Dean cut him off.

"No way! Find another way to get us back over there, I'm not flying, my feet stay on the ground." Dean ground out in irritation, the short bastard had a point about the portal, if Lucifer could sense it being opened, then it wasn't smart to use one again to get back. However, he'd be damned, again, if he flew anywhere without a good reason to.

"I-, alright, I think I can work something out, I hope your stomachs are strong, it'll take a while to get you back though." Koenma informed them and Dean shifted on his feet, tired and wary.

"Whatever, but it better be the next quickest way to flying." Dean grumbled and Koenma nodded.

"I can charter you a place on a cargo ship, but first I'm going to have to get those passports." Koenma said, signing the checks, stamping them and holding them out to Hiei and Kurama.

"Watashi ga koko o hanareru yo. Korera no baka ni taisho suru koto ga dekimasu." (I'm outta here. You can deal with these idiots.) Hiei muttered, dusting his fingers off from the popcorn and walking off.

"Okay, I know he insulted me this time!" Dean growled, making to stomp after the shorter man, only for his brother's hand to fall on his shoulder, halting him.

"Not right now Dean, let's just get going. We still have questions that need to be answered and we're not going to get anything done if you pick unnecessary fights." Sam rationalized with his brother and Dean sighed, knowing the Goliath was right.

"Yeah, for starters, what are you Karaman." Dean asked and Kurama raised an eyebrow at him.

"My name is Kurama, but in the Ningenkai(human world), I am Shuichi Minamino. Perhaps it will be easier for you to remember and pronounce my name if you put on the translator?" Kurama informed them in slight irritation, Americans were so brash and never could pronounce either of his names right.

Sam shrugged and pulled out the ear cuffs, handing one to Dean, who tried to figure out how it went on. Sam on the other hand had only a little trouble, at first it fell off until he realized the metal was soft enough to pinch it closed. He then helped Dean with his, who grumbled that it better not make him look girly.

"There, can you understand me now?" Kurama asked and the brothers looked at him in surprise, they could tell he wasn't speaking English, however, they still understood everything said.

"This is like a dream I had once, were this hot chick was speaking French and I knew I didn't know any French, but I could still under stand her... weird." Dean said, in English, though to Kurama it sounded like fluent Japanese.

"Could you say your name again?" Sam asked, ignoring his brother's ranting and Kurama complied, repeating his human name, the name he now went by 99 percent of the time.

"Shuichi Minamino." Kurama supplied, though to the brothers it sounded like he said his name was Southern Field Excellence First.

"Your name is Southern Field Excellence First? What kind of name is that?" Dean asked, though it came out Shuichi Minamino to Kurama.

"Yes, Japanese names often have a meaning to them. Take Koenma for instance, it means King Enma Jr." Kurama explained and Sam nodded in understanding, Dean still looked a little lost, but Kurama was sure he would get it in time.

"Alright, I'm pretty sure I get that, but you still haven't told us what you are." Dean relented to the whole name thing, twitching slightly at how odd the sound of Japanese coming out of his mouth was. However, them not answering a question he'd been asking for quite some time was starting to piss him off.

"I'm a fox spirit, kind of like a demon, but... alive? I'm not sure how to explain it to you." Kurama tried to make then understand and the growl from Dean indicated that it wasn't going over well.

"So you're a kitsune? I met one and her daughter when I was younger, she ended up killing her own mom to save me." Sam admitted and Kurama was surprised once again with how much the younger brother knew, perhaps Dean had knew exactly what he was trying to say and that's what cause the reaction.

If the hunters had killed a kitsune before, then one standing before them was probably making them very paranoid. Especially when most of his race thrived on human pituitary glands.

"I see, I know this might not be any consolation, but I'm not evil. Yokai, what we call the breed of demon over here, have the potential to be both good or evil. I was once a thief, as I've told your brother, but when a hunter fatally wounded me, I melded with a human unborn child.

When my mother gave birth to me, I was no longer just yokai. I ended up staying with her instead of returning to my life in the Makai(demon world), until she grew ill and then I broke into Reikai(spirit world), which is where we are now, to steal an artifact I could use to trade my life for hers." Kurama explained, striking a cord with the brothers, this topic was a little too close to home.

"Yeah, but obviously you didn't or you wouldn't be standing here now." Dean pointed out and Kurama chuckled.

"That's because a brass young man by the name of Urameshi Yusuke, the spirit detective at the time, was sent to take the item from me.

However, I had already called upon the magic and set in motion my wish to save my mother. Foolishly, Yusuke offered up his life in exchange for mine, saying that a mother shouldn't have to live knowing her son sacrificed himself for her.

The object saw Yusuke's pure intentions and decided to forgo the price because of such a display of willingness to protect someone he didn't even know. My mother recovered and she still lives in Japan with my step father." Kurama told them, it twisted his gut a little at guilt for not having visited his friend in so long. Yusuke, after the death of his wife Keiko, returned to the Makai just in time for the next battle to determine the next ruler, with Hiei and himself at his side. Naturally Yusuke had won.

After some uproar over people spotting yokai wondering the human world, as the new ruler, Yusuke ordered that all demons had to disguise themselves in human form.

It irritated some lower demons who didn't have the yoki to do so, but graciously Yusuke provided them with amulets allowing them to pass as human. Over all, despite being depressed most of the time, he was a kind, but firm ruler, not unlike his predecessor.

"I didn't know an object like that existed, can it bring someone back from the dead as well?" Sam asked maybe a little too hopeful and Koenma cleared his throat.

"No, it can't and to use that item would mean your soul would be damned to hell. Not to mention it's illegal to posses, that's why it's locked safely way here in Reikai. Now, you should get going, it's morning in Japan and I'm sure the boys would like some rest before you start that torture you call curiosity." Koenma said, raising his hands to create a portal and Kurama chuckled.

"They are lucky Genkai isn't around any longer, she had a nack for such things after all." Kurama half joked and Koenma agreed whole heartedly.

"It should be no more then a week that I have your papers, please do try and behave, all of you." Koenma pleaded on deaf ears, he had a feeling this was going to turn into a three ring circus by the time everything was said and done, as the three of them vanished through the portal.

It closed with a soft snap and George sighed in relief, until he noticed his masters foreboding stack of paperwork.

"Well George, let's get to work, hopefully things will turn out for the better." Koenma sighed and slammed his stamp down on the first paper of many yet to come.

* * *

Please review!


	7. The Great Kuwabara Kazuma! Delivery Boy!

**Chapter 5**

Fox in the Chicken Coop

Disclaimer: Like in the first chapters, I own nothing, not even this idea, I'm sure.

Enjoy~

* * *

The little apartment they landed in was classy, Dean wasn't certain he had seen anything so nice. Not since that incident where Zacharia turned him into a corporate douche bag and Sam into a internet help desk man.

The tone in the room, unlike bizzaro Dean's, was more earthy, there were plants sophisticatedly placed about the apartment and it was bathed in crisp whites and brilliant greens to accent. The balcony, however, had been all but converted into greenery. Dean could almost picture getting lost amongst the plants, thriving wildly in pots and hanging planters that could barely contain them. It gave the whole place the feeling of a tropical retreat, as many of the plants looked exotic and some so weird, you would expect them to only be found deep in the heart of a jungle.

"Nice digs." Dean mused appreciatively, Sam on the other hand was in a cantankerous mood, glaring disapprovingly at his brother's nonchalant attitude.

"Yeah, it's not ideal, I would have preferred something with more of a garden area, but this was the best I could find within my budget and a reasonable commute to work." Kurama lamented, sitting on a stool at the bar between the kitchen and living room.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are we here?" Sam prodded, attempting to acquire a straight answer from the allusive Kitsune. The decision to follow the fox through the portal might not have been one of their best ideas and they were regretting it now they were alone with him.

"Well, back at the hotel, I sensed something off about the two of you. Sam in particular, your smell is almost demonic in nature. However, your heart still beats, so I can only assume something happened to make you that way.

Then there is the Rei, huh, spirit energy, coming off Dean and something else I can't quit place, it's too faint to tell just yet." Kurama explained and Dean shifted nervously, not understanding what the monster before him was talking about and it only served to make him more irritated with the situation.

"So what? I'm a freak too?" Dean demanded to know and Kurama's attention perked up at that, the missing denial about not knowing what was wrong with them.

"Ah, so you know of Sam being different. Interesting... however, you having spirit energy is only strange because you are a westerners and they tend to be... less inclined to the supernatural around them. If I had to garner a guess as to what ability you have, I would say you're a psychic, of some kind." Kurama supplied as an answer and Sam's brows shot up in surprise.

"Oh hell no Samantha, don't you even start." Dean warned his brother and Sam didn't look even close to backing down. To his astonishment, though, Sam's mouth snapped shut with a glance to Kurama and than he exhaled, letting go of whatever had just popped into his head. Deeming present company not trust worthy enough to talk in front of.

"We're going to talk about it eventually, but first I think we should get some rest, if Kurama wanted to kill us, he would have done it already and if I have to stay up any longer, I'm going to shoot both of you just to get some peace and quite." Sam huffed, stifling a yawn with his hand, the adrenaline from earlier was long gone and even Dean was fighting to keep from releasing one of his own.

Kurama agreed with that, as he too was wavering in his ability to stay awake. Leading them to a guest room that was sparsely furnished, save for a futon bed and one neatly folded in the closet that could be laid out if there were extra guests, so they could rest for as long as they were going to stay.

The room was rarely used, only when Hiei would pop in for a visit, would it see any use. However, the beds always remained unused, as the fire apparition preferred to rest in the large arm chair by the window.

Kurama calmly laid out the bed and sheets for his unexpected guests and bade them goodnight, leaving the brothers to rest, his hand ghosting over the eadge of the door frame as he exited the room.

Looking to each other, too exhausted to fight over who got which bed, Sam collapsed on the floor futon, thinking it would be more comfortable than his feet hanging off the side of the bed. As it turned out, his assumption had been spot on and he soon found himself drifting off into slumber.

That was, until that thing he called a brother kicked him in the foot, jarring him awake once more.

"Sam." Dean whispered, drawing him from sleep. Groaning in answer instead of sitting up, Sam snuggled into the bed in an attempt to block the annoyance out.

"Come on, we have to get out of here." Dean urged and Sam knew that, but he wanted to linger in the illusion that they could actually sleep in a bed for the night.

"Come on Dean, five minutes, please?" Sam begged half heartedly and Dean sighed.

"We can't. I'm not staying in an apartment with a demon, I don't care if he's fucking Casper the friendly demon-ghost."

"By definition he's not actually a demon and an apparition isn't a ghost. They don't possess people, normally, and I think we should stay, besides, we're in Japan, where else would we go?" Sam challenged, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself then convince his brother.

"I don't know, but we can't stay here..." Dean argued, or tried to, as he collapsed on the bed in a heap, suddenly unable to resist sleep any longer. Neither brother noticed the light perfume scent in the air, nor the near invisible flowers that bloomed around the door frame.

They wouldn't, because they weren't meant to.

Sitting in his room, Kurama smiled to himself, think of how humans were so fragile and stubborn.

It was why he liked them so much these days.

* * *

Dean didn't recall lying down the previous night, nor falling asleep for that matter. However, he couldn't dispute it was some of the best sleep he had, for the first time, in a long time. The sun was now blazing brightly through the curtains of the room and Sam, the early riser, was already up, wearing some kind of robe, shuffling around, examining the closet.

"Hey, do you know what time it is?" Dean asked and Sam pointed to the clock beside the bed he hadn't noticed when waking; it read 13:00.

"Kurama- err, Shuichi said he was ordering something for lunch. He's getting something that would be more to our American taste." Sam replied and sat down in the chair lazily, he looked well rested and it made Dean wonder if something else hadn't been at work in their sudden desire to just sleep the night before.

"Doesn't matter to me, I like Japanese food, I don't want to eat it for the rest of my life, mind you, but I think I can survive a week." Dean shrugged, not understanding what the big deal was.

"No Dean, you like Americanized Chinese food, there is a difference." Sam assured his brother. Dean's face twitched in a surveying frown, but didn't argue, not sure if he hadn't had authentic Japanese food before or not.

"Whatever, I've eaten some pretty weird crap, but I guess it's good they have some things that we are familiar with." Dean remarked, standing and stretching. He felt like he could go for a run to burn off the extra energy that came with a good nights rest, but he doubted they would be permitted to leave the house.

The urge to pee had him looking at the door leading into the hall, pondering where Sam had taken a shower.

"Bathroom is through that door, Shuichi didn't have anything in my size so he's washing my clothes. He left a friend's old school uniforms in the bathroom for you, he said the friend is about your size and had him drop some off earlier this morning."

Dean raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing as he opened what he thought was the closet. True enough it was the bathroom, there was a little hall before the bathroom, that on either side, was sliding doors where the closet was. It must have been what Sam was going through when he woke up and upon peeking inside, he could see where Sam had returned the folded futon.

Determining it was safe to shower, Dean stripped down and climbed in, looking at the weird set up for the shower. There was a button hanging from the side of the shower head, but he paid it no mind as he turned on the water.

He regretted it immediately.

With a yelp, he scrambled to turned the water back off and with a glare in Sam's direction, as his brother's deep laughter drifted from the other room, he fiddled with the hot water knob.

"Oh, yeah. If you want hot water, you have to turn that switch on and wait a few minutes." Sam explained as if he had forgotten to mention it, that little devil, he would get his revenge.

Once clean, the hot water button turned off and dressed, Dean stepped out of the bathroom in a light blue uniform. Though he felt stupid in the uniform, it wasn't as uncomfortable as it looked and even the mandarin collar was bearable. However, it didn't stop him from hating the color and wiggling the collar around his neck, more because he wasn't used to it then the fact that it should have irritated his neck. When he returned to the room, Sam looked up, he was redressed in his normal clothes and smirking at his brother in amusement.

"Nice suit." He teased and Dean rolled his eyes, flipping him the bird as he headed for the kitchen.

Kurama was sitting at the table with a news paper when the two of them walked in, however, he stood and bowed in greeting.

"My apologies for letting you sleep in so late, Mr. Winchester." Kurama apologized, confusing Dean, who looked to Sam for an answer.

"It's alright, we appreciate it." Sam replied, brushing the apology aside and Dean chalked it up to being some Japanese custom, as there wasn't going to be an explanation.

"So, I heard something about food?" Dean asked and Shuichi face softened into a delicate smile, running a hand through his long, red locks.

"Indeed, the food should be here any minute now. I take it the translation charms are working well?" Kurama inquired and Dean nodded, nothing had changed since last night other then the bruise on his back was gone.

"Yeah, it's weird hearing Japanese coming from my mouth, but it's getting easier to ignore. Does it sound like normal Japanese to you? You sound like you're speaking perfect English to me." Dean had wondered that the night before, but with everything that had happened, it hadn't seemed impotant to ask at the time.

"It's flawless, if I didn't know any better I would say you were born and raised in Japan." Kurama assured them, walking over to the counter where a pot of tea was sitting on a tray with delicate looking cups.

Dean wondered if the guy was gay, he knew countries like Britain and Japan enjoy tea a lot, but he knew they had to have more manly looking cups then the floral ones the kitsune preferred.

"Would you like some tea or juice before lunch arrives, I'm afraid I don't have anything carbonated." Kurama offered politely and both of them took the offered tea, taking a seat at the table.

"If it's alright with you, we had a couple of questions?" Sam inquired, taking a sip of his tea, only to scrunch up his face as it was unsweetened and bitter.

Learning from his baby brother's mistake, he adding sugar to his own tea before drinking. Though he still longed for coffee instead of the steeped leaves, he decided not to say anything about it and added an extra lump of sugar.

"Not at all, I would like to know more about the both of you as well. You're welcome not to answer anything if I'm being too inquisitive on a personal subject." Kurama reasoned and the two of them agreed, they could deal with that.

It might be a good chance to learn something about the enigma.

"You said you're a Kitsune, do you feed on humans?" Sam questioned, getting down to business.

Dean was suddenly wary of the Kitsune was seeking revenge for a fallen of his kind. Perhaps he was related to the one Sam had killed when they were younger.

"I was curious about that, Kitsune are rare these days, what few remain have adapted to modern times, either choosing to eat other kinds of meat or finding ulterior ways to harvest pituitary glands. I never saw fit to eat humans, once we start, our metabolism changes and like taking a supplement pill our bodies become reliant on the specific chemicals the pituitary gland produces." Kurama explained and Sam could understand the logic behind that.

"The, huh... she didn't like humans and hunted them for her food. It's how we stumbled across the case in the first place. Most of our cases start out that way, we search obituaries and news articles." Sam informed him, hoping Kurama could understand what they did was to help people.

"I too would have been considered a hunter of sorts, during my employment with Spirit World. I hunted down demons that escaped from Makai and eliminated them, as more often then not they were here for an easy meal."

"That's what we do, but it's more than just demons. Anything that's attacking people we try and stop it." Sam told Kurama with a relieved sigh, wiping sweaty palms on his jeans. Kurama nodded in understanding and some of the hositlity toward him vanished from the brothers.

"However, your hunts are not what really interests me about you, nor the fact you are Michael and Lucifer's vessels. What I want to know is why you both have such strong levels of Reikai and smell less than wholly human?" Kurama desired to know bluntly, Sam's relief was short lived, however, as his bloody demonic addiction was a hard topic to talk about and neither brother trusted the demon in font of them enough to divulge that information.

"Well, you see... were not sure what you're asking, exactly?" Sam stalled, shifting nervously, looking to Dean wondering if they should tell him about the demon blood thing.

"I think you know exactly what I mean, or at least a possible reason." Calling their bluff, Kurama allowed his more intimidating side to come out, gone was the soft spoken, polite host, leaving only the hardened thief and business monger behind.

"I was fed demon blood when I was a child to link my psychic abilities to a demon trying to start the apocalypse. There were other children and we all had to fight each other to the death to determin who the strongest of us was." Sam caved, shooting Dean an apologetic glance at the look of betrayal on his brothers face.

"Ah, so you won, but what reason did you have to fight? Why could there be only one?" Kurama asked and Dean snorted, the comment sounded an awful lot like a Highlander reference.

Deciding this was way too personal and the fact the past couldn't be changed, Dean opted to try to change the subject.

"Look-" Dean began to say, but he was saved by the bell, literally, as the front door bell dinged. Kurama stood and answered the door, a tall carrot top man stood there, holding the food he had ordered.

"Hey Shuichi, I got you order here, I hope those clothes I dropped off fit your company well enough." The man chattered and Kurama smiled pleasantly, taking some of the load from the man.

"They fit perfectly, Kazuma-san, please, come in, you can join us if you like, I ordered extra just in case." Kurama offered and the man smiled widely, slipping his shoes off as he stepped into the apartment with the rest of the boxes.

"Thanks, I can take my break now that the lunch rush is over, but I can only stay for a little bit, traffic was looking a little iffy on the way over." The man rambled, he was defiantly Dean's height and build, but he wasn't as pretty as him, more of a tough biker or gang thug.

"That's quite alright, make your self at home, your welcome here anytime. How are things going with school, do you think you're going to get your masters degree this year?" Kurama inquired politely and Kazuma beamed.

"Actually, I'm going to be finishing a week earlier then everyone else, even with my job at the restaurant, I've put double the time into studying then everyone else. Shizuru is a good motivator." Kazuma boasted and Kurama praised his achievements.

"Oh, this is Sam and Dean, they're part of that case in the United States Koenma asked Hiei and I to go on." Kurama said, motioning to each of them as he spoke their name.

"Nice to meet ya, Sammu, Deeen, I'm Kuwabara, Kazuma (Last name first); but everyone besides, Shuichi here calls me Kuwabara." Kuwabara greeted, butchering their names horrendously, but the brothers didn't really care.

"Same here, are you... huh, how do you know Shuichi?" Sam questioned, hesitating in asking if he was a demon as well.

"Oh, I'm the only fully human member of the spirit detectives, I'm a psychic and I tell you, I could feel the waves coming off of you from a mile away. I bet you'd have every demon in the area flocking to you before night fall if it weren't for the fact they're all afraid of Kurama." Kuwabara mused, worrying the brothers as he laid out the food. There was bowls of noodle soups of some kind, stir fry, and several dishes that resembled the Chinese food they were used to back home.

"What are you talking about? My abilities vanished after... after the devil was let loose." Sam stammered, feeling light headed and scared. Dean on the other hand looked angry, thinking maybe Sam had been lying to him until he saw the look on his brother's face.

"Oh, I had that happen once, I had to go see a specialist to try and help jump start it again, but it didn't work. Then when one of my friends was in danger, it came back stronger then ever. I think they have a dormant period, where they recover from being used too much, so soon after developing them. We also speculated it had something to do with the fact I had an outside source that helped kick start them in the first place.

I've been working with a friend on theories of how psychic abilities manifest and why they sometimes go dormant, but it's still in it's infancy stages. There aren't really a lot of psychics documented to cross reference with and even less that are alive." Kuwabara rambled, sipping some tea Kurama had poured him.

Kurama set out plates and bowls, motioning for them to start eating.

"That would be interesting to learn about, surely if you ever write a book on it, you will send me a copy, or at the very least allow me to attend one of you lectures?" Kurama asked and Kuwabara nodded enthusiastically, excited someone might be willing to listen to him give a lecture.

"Of course, the school Yusuke set up in Makai is doing well, but he's short teachers, me taking your order at the restaurant wasn't a coincidence, even though I wanted to visit anyway, but he could use a couple more hands to help out." Kuwabara amended, not wanting to sound like he was only there because someone asked him to be.

"I'm sorry, Kazuma-san, but I'm retired, however, I might consider it once my human life has run it's course and I no longer have connections to the Ningenkai (human world)." Kurama declined to a sullen Kuwabara.

"It's alright, I told him you would say no, but I promised I would try anyway.

How's Hiei doing anyway, you think I have a chance at convincing him to teach a class or two?" Kuwabara asked hopefully.

"About as much chance of him approving your marriage to his sister next month. He still tries to convince her it's a bad idea and that she should move back to Makai." Kurama chuckled and Kuwabara deflated completely onto the table.

"Awe man, don't remind me. If I get cold feet for any reason, it's in fear of dying at a young age. I swear, I don't see why he hates me so much, I'm smart, strong and I treat Yukina like a goddess, what's not to approve of?" Kuwabara demanded to know, getting angry at the thought he wasn't a strong suitor for Hiei's beloved sister.

"It's simple, your human and he's possessive. You and I both know, despite how much you have proven yourself in the Makai, demons will look down on Yukina for marrying out of species. Hiei fears it will start a war once the Ice Maidens find out."

Both shivered at the thought of war braking out, it wouldn't end well for either side.

"I know Kurama, but I love her and I don't think a bunch of cold hearted women up on an icy mountain should decide who should marry who. Biologically, humans and demons are compatible, why shouldn't we get married?" Kuwabara challenged, staring off at imaginary enemies, probably picturing himself fighting them off to save his princess.

Dean had about a thousand reasons why it would be wrong, but he doubted his opinions would matter.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't, I just wanted to reminding you of why Hiei, your soon to be brother-in-law, disapproves of your marriage to Yukina." Kurama said, playing the fear card, bringing up that tid bit of information was an under handed move, but it did exactly what it was meant to. He knew it disturbed Kuwabara to think about being related to Hiei, even by marriage and it would consume any indignation he had toward Hiei's opinion.

Kuwabara might be a blundering oaf at times, but he knew better then to get on Hiei's bad side.

"Yeah, I see your point, his point, but I can't picture my life without Yukina. Since the first time I saw her crying on that tape Koenma sent us, I wanted nothing more then to make her happy for the rest of my life." Kuwabara sighed, stuffing food into his mouth as fast as Dean had been. Sam on the other hand had been listening more then eating and took a tentative bite when Kurama glanced at him, trying to hide that fact.

However, instead of being angry at their forgotten presence, Kuwabara took on an apologetic look.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to exclude you guys from the conversation and go off on a tangent! If you like, I can try to help you get your powers back?" Kuwabara offered Sam, who nearly choked on the noodles he was eating.

"N-no, I'm good. They, huh... cause more trouble then they're worth." Sam was almost offended by the offer, but he didn't want to be rude, Kuwabara didn't know about his abuse of the powers and was just trying to be nice.

"Are you sure? Cause all it takes is a good work out and a near death experience. In fact, I could help jump start your friends too, he's has the potential to be strong, maybe even more so then you kid... actually it almost feels like yoki..." Kuwabara contemplated to the brothers, shocking Kurama at the revelation.

"Are you certain, Kazuma-san? I thought I felt it for a split second, but I was in a room full of gods with the devil on the way. I couldn't be sure and it hasn't made it's self prominent enough for me to be able to tell." Kurama questioned and Kuwabara nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure, but it's muddled like yours was when we first met. Whether he's actually part demon or something's attached to him, I don't know, but it's defiantly something." Kuwabara confirmed and Dean slammed his hand down on the table.

"No way, I'm not a demon, I'm not possessed, I have an anti possession tattoo for crying out loud!" Dean was livid, how could this have happened? Was it when he was in hell, or before that? It was pissing him off not having the answers and it only made it worse he was finding out about this from demons no less.

Not that he would have taken the news any better from someone else, but the point was, demons shouldn't know something angels didn't.

Which was reason to worry, did angels actually know, or was the kitsune's carrot-topped friend lying?

Either way, the situation was starting to become more complicated then it already was.

"I think the mark on your chest is doing it's thing, I can feel it working, but I'm pretty sure it isn't for demons, or at least not any kind I've heard of." Kuwabara assured him and Dean blinked in confusion.

They guy could sense the tattoo? How much weirder was this little 'vacation' going to get?

"That's because these two are used to dealing with western demons, Judeo Christian to be exact." Kurama informed his friend.

"That makes sense, I didn't know they were real though. Does that mean that when they said the devil, they meant the one the bible talks about in Christian temples and not Yusuke?" Kuwabara asked, all of them had joke to the young king on more then one occasion about him being the devil now, ruler of hell.

The estranged demon found it hilarious, taking the title and running with it.

The result, a month long prank war, except Yusuke was the only one doing the pranking.

In the end, however, Hiei and Kuwabara managed to get it through the demonic king's head that everyone was starting to get irritated with him. Even the normally docile Yukina had scolded him, threatening to freeze his nether regions off.

Not his balls, literally his neither regions, where the young king liked to vacation for it's warm climate, lush greenery and clear waters.

"I believe they call them churches, not temples, but yes, that would be the one." Kurama confirmed and Kuwabara shuddered.

"Well that explains why I felt a strong power surge several months ago. The energy must have been from that demon guy." Kuwabara mumbled aloud and Dean stepped in, not wanting them to be miss led in information.

"He's actually an angel, a fallen one and he was released around the time you felt that power surge." Dean sighed, feeling responsible, if he hadn't broke the first seal or if he had been able to stop Sam sooner, then it wouldn't have happened to begin with. The eldest Winchester thought, unaware Sam was thinking along the same lines, except that it was his fault instead of his brothers.

"Yeesh, I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark alley, if I can feel him all the way over here, then I'd hate to see what he's like up close." Kuwabara quivered and sipped some tea to try to ward off the feeling of unease.

"That's probably a good idea, angels are almost impossible to kill." Dean assured him, not sure how much he liked the other guy, but if he was human, there wasn't really a reason not to.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not going to the United States anytime soon then." Kuwabara vowed mentally to keep far away from that kind of trouble.

"Ah! I gotta go, my break time's over!" Kuwabara panicked in a rush at noticing the time and darted to the door for his shoes, taking the wooden boxes with him, the containers the food had come in.

"Be careful Kazuma-san, I wouldn't want another friend to die via car accident." Kurama chuckled at their own private joke as Kuwabara rushed out the door and down the hall, promising a mere car couldn't even scratch him.

* * *

Once Shuichi returned to the table, having shut and locked the door behind his friend, Dean decided he wanted more answers, opting to let the secret he had kept from Sam out in the open. He wanted to know how it was that this particular demon kept popping in and out of his life.

"Shuichi, I was wondering, why it is you were in America during '79 when there was that attack at the house we were hiding in, what were you doing there?" Dean demanded to know, the mystery was bugging him and Sam openly glared at him, wondering why Dean never said anything.

"I was with my father, my human father. We had broken down not too far from the house you were at, I took our muffler as a weapon so I could search for some help, when I heard the commotion from down the road, I decided to investigate what was going on." Shuichi informed him truthfully.

"That's it? You had no other reason?" Dean pressed, not happy with the answer, but he couldn't help thinking he should remember something.

"Well... yes, the first time I was curious. However, the second time, when I came back, I felt a surge of power as a couple of lives started to dwindle and then I felt a familiar presence. So I returned to investigate what was going on. When I got there, that red haired woman was about the stab one of the life forces I felt fading. Except it wasn't the woman who was about to be stabbed that had been about to die, but the child she carried. The tiny life in her was fine once I got there, however, I couldn't in good conscience just walk away from someone about to murder an innocent child's chance at life, so I attacked as best I could. It was enough to buy some time for that other man to step in." Kurama explained and sipped his tea, savoring the flavors.

He had been to young to access Rei at the time and was only as strong as five year old human. He was lucky the redheaded woman had been as focused on killing the blond woman, or she could have easily killed him first.

"Okay, I get that, I guess, but what about the Zombie attack in South Dakota?" Dean asked and Kurama nearly spit out his drink.

The kitsune had been certain that the horde of undead had been playing tricks on him, as it was impossible for the man he had met as a child to be there without ageing.

"That was you there? I thought I had imagined it, considering you hadn't aged a day since I first saw you. I suppose I hadn't made the connection since confirming you to be a time traveler.

We were on an assignment to try and stop the zombies, as you call them. There was, in fact, a demon controlling them, it's why they started to turn rabid after a couple of days upon their awakening. It was then we were sent the invitation to the meeting of the gods, Baulder was impressed with how much progress Koenma has made while dabbling into the affairs of Ningenkai (Human World)." Kurama explained, tilting his head in thought, then dismissing his train of thought.

"You know that woman, the redhead, Anna, was trying to stab was our mom and it was Dean she was pregnant with. She was an angel and had gone back in time to try and prevent us from being born. I kind of remember a flash of light around our mom when she got knocked down, but I thought it was because I hit my head pretty good, however..." Sam trailed off, a sudden idea popping into his head.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Dean demanded to know, wondering where his brother was going with this topic change.

"How exactly did you become like you are? You said you melded with an unborn child, but what does that mean?" Sam pressed for more information and Kurama chuckled.

"I know what your thinking, but what I did was near impossible. First of all I am a powerful yokai, secondly, the only reason it worked was because the fetus was about to die. Moreover, Dean would display symptoms of having a split personality, even if he didn't actually have one, and last, but not least, he would remember his past life as a demon. It's more likely; if they are capable, one of the angels healed her." Kurama shot down that idea, or that's what he planned to do, until he noticed Dean twitching.

"Don't look at me like that! There's no way I'm a demon." Dean defended, he wasn't going to tell them about the dreams he used to have before the demon killed their mom, before their father was forced to seek out Missouri Mosley.

It wasn't until after the fire the almost vivid memories turned into something achen to dreams, or nightmares most nights. After that incident he thought it was his over active imagination and some twisted for of an imaginary friend.

That and whenever he was on a hunt, he seemed to become another person entirely. Right up until his return from hell. After that he just didn't have it in him to pull off a good game. Sure, sometimes he got lucky and after a lot of stumbling he'd get the information he wanted, but it didn't come to him as naturally. Before, when wooing women, it was as if went into a trance, dragging them with him and thus getting his way.

Sam looked to him accusingly, even Kurama could tell he was hiding something, but both knew they wouldn't get it out of the oldest Winchester today.

So cutting his losses, Kurama decided a topic change was needed before things became uncomfortable.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today, I doubt arguing will change anything or give you the answers you seek. So, instead, how about we go out and get you some new clothes, you couldn't possibly wear the same outfits until you leave." Kurama offered, standing to clear dishes from the table.

That's how they spent the rest of the afternoon, shopping for clothes the demon graciously paid for. They even went about getting ingredients for spells and wards that were hard to come across in the U.S., mainly because hoodoo and Wicca were the main practices in shops as opposed to eastern religions.

Once back at the apartment, they ate dinner and settled in for the night, too tired to do much else.

* * *

By morning on their second day in Japan, Kurama had learned almost every dark secret the boys had. The demon blood Sam drank, Ruby and the apocalypse, Dean's lengthy trip to hell, but not from the brothers. Koenma contacted him late in the evening to inform him what the ogres had dug up and things weren't looking so well.

There had been a demonic soul in the area when Dean's pregnant mother had been hurt that night Kurama had stumbled upon them. However, the mystery remained on who that demon might have been or how it merged with Dean's soul. The only clue they had to go on was that it was someone Kurama had come across in his three thousand years of life.

Which didn't narrow it down much, considering his life as a thief, he had come in contact with many a demon and human alike.

Nor could he remember loosing an acquaintance, ally or even enemy during that time frame.

Releasing a rare sigh, Kurama stood from his computer, and looked out his window in thought.

This was turning out to be more complicated then he thought and he was beginning to regret having taken the mission in the first place.

A gentle rapping on the door to his room drew his attention and he opened it to find the towering frame of Sam.

"Huh, my brother and I were wondering if there is anything to do around here or possibly somewhere we can go? Dean's getting restless just sitting around." Sam asked sheepishly, unsure if they were prisoners or truly were guests.

"Of course, there's a park a couple of blocks from here, and just a block after that is an arcade. Between here and the arcade, are several shops, but there's isn't much else around to do. I can lend you some money if you would like?" Kurama offered, not really expecting to be paid back, but he didn't want to be rude, the two of them weren't the type to take hand outs, if he had judged their personalities the three days he had known them.

"Thank you, but no thanks, we were also wondering if you could get what money we do have on us exchanged, it's not a lot, but it should cover what you spent on us yesterday day and a little to help with food costs." Sam offered and Kurama declined, he too didn't need hands outs, it wasn't as though he were strapped for cash.

"No need to pay me back for that, I am the one who drug you here unprepared. But if you like, I can follow you to the bank and deposited the money and then give you the amount it would be from my own account, it usually takes time to process foreign money when converting it." Kurama offered and Sam smiled.

"I would appreciate that, but what about your... being out of a job?" Sam treaded carefully, trying not to insult him and Kurama couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"Oh, no need to worry about that. I wasn't mad at Koenma for loosing my job because I need the money." Kurama breathed between chuckles.

"Then why were you mad, if you don't mind me asking?" Sam inquired and Kurama calmed himself, sobering some.

"Well, my step-father and I don't have the closest relationship, he saw my leaving as an act of defiance and our already shaky relationship has taken a turn for the worse I'm afraid. He didn't like me much before the job offer and he dislikes me even more after my resigning." Kurama explained.

Ever since he left for that stint in the Makai,

"Couldn't you have just taken some time off? Don't you have leave time or emergency sick time, I'm not sure what the work laws are here, but I'm pretty sure they have work laws in Japan." Sam rambled some and Shuichi chuckled at how much the Goliath of a man sounded like Kuwabara at the moment.

"Yes, they do, but your boss still has to approve the leave time and my step-father considers taking random 'vacation time' as a sign of slacking off. However, he makes my mother happy, so he gets to live... for now." Kurama smirked, making Sam uneasy.

"I'm just kidding, Sam, I would never kill a human unless there was no other choice. One of my friends or family would have to be in grave danger before that would happened."

"Sorry, it's just we've seen things, huh, people, that when they say something like that, they usually aren't joking." He apologized with a wince at having called Kurama a thing.

"It's alright, I understand. We once came across a human that I sorely wished I could have killed myself. He had been holding a person who is now a dear friend of mine captive, forcing them to cry tear gems by torture. To see someone so sweet and innocent so cruelly treated infuriates me." Kurama's grip on the door handle tightened, but released after a moment, his anger under control once more.

"I under stand, we came across a group of cannibals once, they tortured Dean and I wanted nothing more then to stop them, for good, but in the end we let the law take care of them." Sam admitted and Kurama blinked in surprise.

"Wow, it's not often you hear of cannibalism these days, demons tend to be more into that kind of thing then humans. However, enough about such depressing things, we should get going before Dean decides to do something drastic to entertain himself." Kurama chuckled, thinking of the little traps Dean had set up the night before around their room. Kurama couldn't so much as touch the door without burning his hand and Sam had scolded his brother, but he wouldn't hear anything of it.

In all honesty, Kurama couldn't blame the eldest Winchester for being paranoid. What, with heaven and hell out to get them and a world full of people counting on them. Who wouldn't be a little twitchy?

Several days passed, the boys would go out, putter around town for the day and then return, having calmed down some now that they knew they could move freely to and from the house.

Dean wasn't sure anymore if Kurama was a threat or not and he mildly wondered if he had Stockholm syndrome.

It wouldn't be the first time it had happened.

Hell had a way with playing mind games.

Dean was startled from his thoughts when an all too cheery voice announce it's owners arrival.

"Good morning everyone!" A blue haired lady greeted, flying straight through the wall on an oar.

However, before Dean could even think about going for a weapon, a frowning Kurama greeted the woman- thing.

"Botan, how many times have I told you to please use the door?" Kurama demanded, scolding the woman who shrank back sheepishly. It reminded the brothers how Castiel would often pop in out of nowhere right into Dean's personal space.

Speaking of said angel, Bobby and Cas were probably going crazy trying to find them.

Not that they would, considering they were on the other side of the world.

"More times then I can remember. I'm sorry Kurama, but I have good news! Well... mostly good news anyway." Botan amended for her forgetfulness at using a door. More often then not she got over excited and such human things would slip her mind.

"Oh, and what might that be?" Kurama asked, deciding she was a lost cause and she would never learn.

"Well, I have the papers for Mr. and Mr. Winchester, their names for security reasons are now Mr. and Mr. Smith, as they are wanted fugitives in the United States.

However, Koenma requests that you come the Reikai once more for a few test before you return home. He hopes to find out about who the demon might be that might have melded with Dean's soul." Botan informed them and the brothers glared at her.

"What do you mean, 'who the demon is that melded with Dean's soul'?" Sam demanded to know angrily and the blue haired girl shrank back once more.

"Yeah and who are you anyway?" Dean added, glowering at the woman trying vainly to hide behind the folder she was holding.

"I'm Botan, ferry girl of the river Styx, I believe you would call me a grim reaper!" Botan exclaimed happily, growing a bit of a back bone from her pride at being a ferry girl.

"Great, another reaper, I've seen enough of those for a life time." Dean grumbled and Botan blinked at his lack of curiosity.

"What, nothing to ask? Usually people have loads of questions about the 'here after'. How could you have possibly met a reaper before, surely you would have passed on if a reaper were to appear before you." Botan wondered, finger resting on a pouty lip trying to figure out how it was possible.

"It doesn't matter how, just tell us what kind of tests we'll have to take." Dean snapped, drawing the woman back from her musings.

"Oh, yes, just some blood samples, and a few non-invasive scans from Reikai medical equipment! Nothing too complicated, I assure you!" Botan smiled charmingly, tucked a strand of powder blue hair behind her ear and then folding her hands behind her back.

"Okay, I guess we could do that, right Sammy?" Dean asked, finding it hard to say no to such a happy, pretty face, even if her hair was a strange color.

"Huh, your kidding, right?" Sam asked pleadingly, he didn't care much for needles and Dean wasn't to thrilled either, but found himself wanting to know what the hell was going on. If that meant a few tests, then he was all for it.

"I gotta know if what they're saying is true, what if I'm not human Sam, what if you aren't? Does that make us hypocrites?" Dean asked, feeling vulnerable, he hated monsters with a passion and to suddenly find out he might be something he would hunt?

It could very well shatter what little self esteem he had left. It would mean everything, everything Alistair had taunted him with, teased him about and tried to force him to believe, might have actually been true.

Standing in front of the portal the girl had just opened with her oar, Dean followed her in, Sam trailing sullenly behind him, disappointed at the lack of his opinion being taken into consideration.

They were shown to separate, clean, hospital like rooms and Dean sat, swinging his legs like a child, waiting for the doctor to arrive.

What he didn't expect, though, was a seven foot, manly looking ogre in a pink nurse outfit that was a size too small and thick, red lipstick smeared half hazardly across it's mouth. It's blond hair, half balding on top, had been piled into a scrunchy to once side, only adding to the oddness of the scene.

"Hi, my name is George and I'll be your nurse for today." The ogre all but cried, obviously not happy at the position he was put into.

"Are you the assistant of that baby dude?" Dean wondered, as the names were the same and the ogre actually burst into tears.

"Yeees, but I'm also the resident nurse and Koenma-sama says if I'm going to be a part time nurse, I should look like one while I'm at it." The ogre sobbed for a minute before a loud speaker above the door chimed in.

"Ogre, that better not be your insolent whining I hear all the way from my desk!" The voice of Koenma snapped over the intercom.

"N-no Koenma-sama, I wouldn't dream of being disrespectful of the position you g-graciously offered me." George stammered, there wasn't a reply for his effort however and the ogre turned back to Dean.

Sobering up, the ogre took a blood sample, doing his job without further complaint. After putting the drawn blood in a warded box to prevent thievery, he snapped on a part of white gloves.

"Alright, now I need you to remove you cloths and turn around." George ordered to Dean's horror.

Non-invasive his soon to be soar ass!

Or so he thought...

* * *

An: Please review, they give me happy feelings! Happy feelings inspire me to write!


	8. Delay, Unforeseen Fate!

**Chapter 6**

Fox in the Chicken Coop

Disclaimer: If you haven't gotten the fact that I do not own Supernatural or Yu Yu Hakusho by this point, then perhaps you forgot to read the first chapters! You should turn back now and read what you missed! ^_^

~Enjoy

* * *

That stupid ogre needed to learn how to word things better.

Not only had the blockhead not wanted him to remove every article of clothing, for instance his boxers, but he just wanted to check for blemishes and marks. Taking pictures of every mole and birthmark Dean had.

Not a surprise colonoscopy.

It was awkward, but tolerable and he was allowed to redress after the exam was done.

George hadn't even stuck around long enough to inform him of the results. Instead the blundering monster made a surprised sound about one of Dean's birth marks, quickly scanned him with something that looked like it was from Star Trek and took off shouting for Koenma.

Not one to care if he was supposed to follow or not and certainly not one to be left out of the loop, Dean threw his clothes on and stomped off in the direction the ogre had rushed off in. Striding through the door, ogre and god paused, looking to him like children being caught with their hands in a cookie jar.

"Ah, Mr. Winchester... we, huh, were just talking about you. You have an interesting mark on your left shoulder, how did it happen if I may inquire?" Koenma sought, stuttering, that obviously hadn't been what he was about to ask. However, Dean wasn't sure what the alternative question might have been, so he let it drop, for now.

"It's from a friend, he was a little rough with the mojo." Dean snorted, being pulled from hell by an angel wasn't exactly something to brush off, however, it wasn't like he was going to tell them the truth.

Not when they were clearly hiding something from him.

"I see, your friend must be very powerful to have left behind such a mark on your flesh. I do hope it wasn't out of violence the injury was made?" Koenma pressed, fishing for more information.

"Nope, he didn't realize his own strength, they guy cab be a little naive sometime." Dean answered, crossing his arms defensively. "You going to tell me what you were really talking about, or are we free to leave?"

Dean didn't really care that he was being rude, he just wanted out of here and he doubted they would ever run into these guys again once they were back in the states.

"Yes, we did agree to return you home, however, with the fate of the world resting on the shoulders of two humans, I don't feel comfortable just returning you unguarded." Koenma admitted with a wince, knowing this wouldn't go over well. Dean wasn't really sure if the pacifier sucking toddler was threatening him or not, but one thing he was sure about, there were going to be strings attached.

"What's going on? Are we leaving?" Sam asked as he made his way back in the room, sliding an arm in his jacket as he went, having just finished getting dressed.

"Yes, Koenma, do let us know if they will be returned as we agreed upon. As splendid as it was having a couple of paranoid hunters in my home, I do look forward to some privacy." Kurama's sarcasm and menacing stare told them it was more of a threat then a statement, despite the fact he was smiling as pleasently as ever.

"Yes, I'm certain you do, but I have a request of you, one you're not really in a position to refuse." Koenma said ominously, the room growing colder by the second and the heavy gravity more notable at the darkening look on Kurama's face.

"Oh, and why exactly would I refuse exactly? Unless for some reason you think I would even entertain the idea of working for you after your previous manipulations and lies." Kurama voiced with a twitching smile, looking as if his face were going to crack if it got any wider.

"And prey tell, what is of such dire consequence that you would resort to black mail? What exactly do you have over my head that would insure my complete and utter compliance?" Kurama admonished, his eyes flashing yellow, however, unlike Azazel's eyes, his were more golden in color then the grigori.

"Y-your brother, he'll die if you stay. Apparently coming in contact with these two changed the fate of your family. If you remain, a demon by the name of Meg finds where you are staying upon a rumor she heard from a reliable source. She seeks you out and mistakes your brother for you, as the two of you share the same human name." The toddler said forlornly, folding his hands on his desk and exhaling, having gotten that bit of information off his chest.

"Koenma sir, you haven't told them everything, shouldn't you-" George began to say before he was cut off by Koenma's shout for him to be quiet, that he was getting to that.

"Enough ogre.

Now, as I was saying.

In order to protect your family completely from the influence of this current predicament, I am going to have to erase all memories they have of you. Before you object, I've done the forbidden and glanced ahead, as a favor to you. Grievously, my result conclude this is the only option that doesn't end in their death or your own.

Moreover, there is the issue of the demon that has melded with Dean's soul. I am not certain as to who that demon is at this poing, but we do have a lead we are following to hopefully find out. All we can do for now is hope for the best, possible train Dean into finding out who that demon is on his own and preventing these two from ending the world." Koenma stated as if it were an every day occurrence. Judging from the perturbed and put upon look from Kurama, perhaps it was for them.

"I would like to pay my final respects to the woman, who loved me despite my coldness to her at such a young age. No mother should have had to go through the burden that I put upon her." Kurama said mournfully, as if his family were going to die anyway, despite the fact they would go on living.

"I understand, you have two hours, it's the longest I can give you before the other lines of fate take hold." Koenma consented, he would allow the kitsune yokai his final goodbyes.

"One more thing, before we depart from Reikai, I want to visit Makai, I should need no more then an hour, tops, I need something I placed in safe keeping there." Kurama stated mysteriously, Koenma wanted to know badly what it was, but dare not ask, the fox tended to be touchy about his treasures. "Done, you will have one hour in Makai, the portal will open at the park two blocks from your mother's house, strait into the Makai, then from there you will meet Botan at Lord Yusuke's palace." Koenma instructed, writing instructions down on a scroll, stamping it and then handing it to George to deliver.

"Just a minute, we don't have time to wait around, we've fooled around long enough while in Japan as it is. There's things back home, people we care about, that need us and we're not going to just sit here, twiddling our thumbs. Moreover, we are not taking him with us." Sam voiced in annoyance at having been overlooked by the two non-humans for such and extended pireod of time.

"Well too bad, you're going to have to sit tight for a little longer. A couple of hours isn't going to make a difference and the world doesn't revolve around you." Koenma snapped, he thought for sure Sam was the more level headed and amiable of the Winchester brothers, but evidently he had over estimated him just a bit.

Then again, twenty-six years of inherent enmity for the supernatural was hard to contend with when standing in the presence of said beings. Especially when they don't have the upper hand, vulnreable to the supernatural's whim.

"I apologize for snapping at you, if you would please wait a little longer, you will be returned home, I assure you.

As for Kurama being present, I would think you two could use a little extra muscle in your quest to beat the devil. Those pagan gods might not have stood a chance against him, however, Kurama is on a whole other level." Koenma boasted and Kurama stuffed his hands in his pockets defencively.

"I wouldn't go as far as to say I can beat the devil. At best I would be able to hold my own against him, long enough for you to escape and more then likely at the cost of my own life." Kurama corrected, not wanting them to misunderstand the god of death. He was powerful, but arrogance was the down fall of many who believed themselves invencible.

"Whatever, clearly we don't have a choice, but I warn you, any funny business, you so much as sneeze wrong and I'll put you down before you even know what hit you." Dean promised, chaffed that he had to work with a demon yet again, but he was determined to have some control in the matter, unlike he had with Ruby.

Obviously Sam was thinking the same thing as his brow furrowed in anger.

A portal opened, however, before Sam could voice his thoughts on the matter, Kurama vanished into the swirling vortex with a whips of red mane billowing behind him.

Huffing, Dean found his way over to a wall, leaning against it and making himself comfortable for what was undoubtedly going to be a long wait.

* * *

AN: Short chapter I know and there isn't a lot that happened. However, I did update sooner and hopefully will continue to do so. I was lucky enough to be blessed with the arrival of my newest nephew this week and things have been crazy! :)

Review please!


	9. Cloud High, Plans Change! Home at Last!

**Chapter 7**

Fox in the Chicken Coop

* * *

The wait stretched on for ages and Dean began to wonder if time in Reikai... Spirit World, moved slow as hell did.

He snorted at that thought, chances were it did and now he was thinking in Japanese, which was beyond weird.

His thoughts on time and speaking another language wasn't much of a distraction, as the clock on the wall only ticked a couple of times.

Sam had opted to sit on the floor, his back leaning against the wall. He seemed more entertained with the hustle and bustle of ogres than Dean was, but his sour mood might have had something to do with that. After all, who wouldn't be a little grumpy getting delayed on your ride home?

However, Dean's foul mood went unnoticed, not that he was putting much effort to stand out and the clock finally skipped ahead a few more minutes, falling on the three hour mark.

Maybe Sam had the right idea all along, pay attention to the ogres caused time moved quicker, or so it seemed.

A portal opened and in stepped a tall; taller than Sam, fluffy eared, bushy tailed silver haired... thing, was the only name Dean could think to use for it. It's long, silky hair shimmered in the dull light and made it's owner look even more pale then the blue haired, pink kimono wearing ferry girl behind it.

It was a strange sight, the claws and fangs were menacing, however, the metallic glint of gold eyes had the hairs on Dean's neck standing on end. Flashes of the yellow eyed demon, that he personally killed, during the opening of the Devil's Gate in Wyoming, had him unconsciously holding his breath.

"Ah Kurama, on time as always." Koenma praised, tapping a stack of papers against his desk to tidy them.

"I would have to be dead or otherwise incapacitated in order to be late, Koenma-sama." Kurama purred, that sensual part of his personality always seemed to be more prominent when he was using his yokai form.

"You mean that thing is Kurama? How is that even possible! Kitsune don't change that much." Dean exclaimed, there was no way that seven foot tall demon was Kurama and he suddenly found himself proven wrong as the form shifted back in the blink of an eye.

"I apologize, if I knew you would be so perturbed by my true form, I would have changed back just before returning. However, I hadn't wished demons to see my human form.

Even with Yusuke's new rule, about not eating humans, most plebeians couldn't resist the temptation if it walked right into their territory." Kurama placated, though he didn't mean a word of it. Mostly he had wanted to gauge their reaction if he needed to rely on his true form for any reason.

"Yeah, whatever, just don't do it again or I might not be able to resist ganking you." Dean said warily, not trusting the demon and still on edge from the yellow eyes.

"I can't promise anything, as it is the form I will have to assume if faced with your devil problem." Kurama said with a slight challenging tone to it, he might find human nature amusing, however, he wasn't going to allow them to walk all over him, he wasn't their pet.

"Enough, Botan, if you would open a portal to the Tokyo air port, directly on the plane please, I've chartered a private jet for them." Koenma said and then ducked behind his desk.

"You lying bastard! You promised a cargo ship or something else!" Dean growled as Kurama began dragging him through the portal.

"I'm sorry, but with Kurama's delay, it was the best I could do!" Koenma reasoned even as the portal closed, sighing in relief now that he was safe from the mortal.

* * *

Dean on the other hand was between fuming and panicking as the inclosed space of the plane appeared around him. He jerked his arm from the iron grip of the kitsune and stormed for the door, only to find it closed.

'All passengers are to take a seat and apply the seat belts please, the flight is leaving on schedule in a direct route to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We hope you enjoy the flight and we thank you for flying Spirit World Air Lines.'

The raspy voice had Dean scrambling for a seat, his legs moving like over cooked pasta as he stumbled over their bags and seat legs that were in the way.

Sam, aware of his fear of flying, took a seat next to him, glaring at Kurama as if it were his fault he would have to listen to Dean's complaints for the next twelve hours.

In a way it was his fault, but Sam couldn't blame him for wanting that time with his family. In fact, the kitsune was taking their loss of memories better than he or Dean would have if put in the same place.

The plane hadn't even started moving yet and already Dean was shaking in his seat, chanting in a mix of Japanese and English about 'Baka(stupid) fucking nyuyoji(babies), who needed to tataka reru(get clobbered).'

A soft chuckling drew his attention to Kurama, who silkily slid into the seats across from them, hands folded primly on the polished table between the chairs. He reached into his hair pulling out what looked like pebbles from his hair, holding them in his palm for them to see.

"I apologise for putting in such an uncomfortable position, had I known that my visit would prohibit our departure, I would have forgone it."

Sam was pretty sure he meant it, however, Dean was looking less than pleased with the simple apology.

"Yeah, well an apology isn't going to make up for twelve hours of living hell, buddy." Dean snarled, he looked ready to go, pun not intended, flying over the table to attack the redheaded demon.

"I don't have just an apology for you, I also have an offer for you, something to help you with the flight." Kurama purred.

"I seriously doubt that." Dean snorted, the grip on his arm rests tightened to the point his arms were rattling the chair.

"The red pill or the blue one, or in this case, would you rather be unconscious for the ride or stoned out of you mind?" Kurama asked and the seeds, not pebbles or pills, suddenly turned into un bloomed flowers before their eyes. It was like watching a plant grow in fast forward, only it was just the blooms, not the rest of the plant.

"Huh... what the hell just happened?" Dean demanded and Sam couldn't agree more, though he was more fascinated then accusing sounding then his brother.

"I simply channeled some of my yoki into the seed to manipulate it into growing, it's a rare trait kitsune can develope. Humans can learn to develope such abilities, but what ability they have depends on the human, same goes for yokai." Kurama explained patiently and Sam was grateful, it made him wonder how old the demon really was and if it was rare for yokai to be so mellow.

"Okay, I think I get that. You don't have to make a deal to get that kind of power do you? I mean you're not destined for hell if you learn to channel yokie or whatever, are you?" Sam asked and Kurama shook his head.

"For humans it call Rie and you won't go to hell for using it, it's tapping into the natural energy the soul gives off."

It made sense to the brothers, especially when compared to all the crazy things they had expirenced over the years.

"Alright, doesn't make any difference anyway, we're not going to be using it. Now, about this thing that supposed to make me high... is there-" Dean began to ask eagerly as the plane gave a violent jerk off the ground.

At his panicked inhale, Kurama's hand was already in Dean's face, the flower bloom just as the air began to flow through his nostrils, the pollen sucked in along with it.

Sam could see the change in his brother instantly, the glassy look that slid over his eyes and the lax-ness in his muscles as he released the arm rest.

"is there... lasting... crayons?" Dean trailed off, distracted by Kurama's brightly colored hair.

"What did you give him?" Sam wondered, even when Dean had smoked pot, he hadn't been this... dazed and confused...

Great, now he was quoting song titles, wouldn't Dean be proud.

"It's a rare Makain flower, known for it's calming effect and slight hallucinogenic properties. It's completely safe and will have no lasting side-effects." Kurama assured and Sam wasn't so sure as his brother planted his face against the glass and started drooling, mumbling something about giant marshmallows.

"What about the other one, what would it have done?" Sam wondered, the smell coming off the un-bloomed flower was familiar, but he couldn't place why.

"Just a mild sedative, he would have been out for the whole ride and would have woke up rested." Kurama chuckled as Dean began licking the window.

"Huh, is it too late to do that one?" Sam asked warily, Dean had never been so... trippy, was the best explanation and it unnerved him more then just a little.

"Of coarse, Dean will simply think anything that happened will be a strange dream, he won't remember it." Kurama smiled, holding the other flower out to Dean, who turned at the sound of his name.

"You know, you look like a girl, I think you're ga-" Dean began to say, however the flower bloomed and pollen wafted into his face, causing him to inhale it.

Dean hadn't even the chance to sneeze before his head thunked against the glass of the window and soft breathing could be heard.

"You used that one us, the first night we were there, didn't you?" Sam stated, it wasn't accusing, he knew that was when he had smelt that scent.

"Yes, a milder and more subtle version, but it's in the same breed of plant. I knew, if given the chance, you wouldn't have stayed, nor would I in your position, however, it would have been trouble if you left before you had passports. Especially where you didn't have much money on you." Kurama admitted unashamed at his underhanded move.

"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?" Sam inquired, needing a topic change, he didn't want to admit he was starting to like the kitsune, much as he had the Amy, the young kitsune who killed her mother to save him.

"Contrary to Dean's opinion, I am in fact a boy, you don't have to be gentle with me despite my delicate features. In this form I am thirty-two, before that I was roughly three millennia and some change, I lost count after a while, but I know I gain a new tail at the millennia mark and at this moment I have four." Kurama stated, running a hand through his hair to return the flower seeds, it was strange seeing the bloomed flower reverse into seed form.

"Four? If you gain a tail each millennia, then wouldn't you be for thousand years old?" Sam questioned, it didn't makes much sense, but he had to wonder if Kurama had just not realized the passing of time.

"All foxes are born with one tail, we can gain from there, but most don't live so long." It was astonishing to Sam, sitting in the presence of something so old, yet the man, demon, before him looked younger than him!

"That's amazing, did you see a lot of history, what was it like?" Sam questioned excitedly and Kurama chuckled, holding up a hand to halt him.

"I didn't go to the human world much in my younger years, I made a couple of trips for thefts, but I didn't linger long and I rarely ran into humans. The only human history I know is what I learned in school, just like the rest of the human population."

"That's... too bad, it would have been neat to hear it from someone who saw it first hand. However, you lived in demon world most of your life, right? What was that like?" Sam wanted to know, it was weird to think there was a parallel universe, that wasn't heaven or hell, that housed demons, monsters of every kind.

"Survival of the fittest, you killed to survive, stole to feed yourself if you weren't cannibal or fed off humans. Occasionally you found a companion who shared your outlook on life, was loyal to you.

However, more often than not, something ended up taking that friend or lover from you. Things were bad during my childhood, they got worse as I got older and even worse after I died. That all changed thanks to my friends and I, we ended the tyranny, ended the war between the three rulers and now things are starting to look better." Kurama reminisced, maybe he had been wrong in turning down the offer to teach, he wasn't being a very good friend.

"You're talking about that school... huh... Kuwa- Kuwarbara was talking about, right? And this Yusuke person, he's the new ruler, right?" Sam asked, just to be sure he was getting the facts right.

"Yes, they're all quite remarkable, I feel bad for abandoning them as I did, but I wanted to be with my human family for as long as I could be. With a life full of fighting, saving people and death, it was nice to have something I could cherish without fear of loosing it..." Kurama trailed off, thinking about how wrong he had been. Perhaps if he had taken the offer sooner to join his friends, then all of this might not have happened.

"It's not your fault, it's ours. I've thought this for a long time, but I almost positive we're cursed, everything we touch, everyone we meet, dies. My girlfriend, Jessica, I went to college, trying to get away from the supernatural, from the family business.

Everything was great, I was even... I was planning on asking her to... to marry me.

Then the demon who started this whole mess, they yellow eyed demon, who we found out later was named Azazel, he killed her, the same way he killed our mom." Sam swallowed hard, glancing at Dean to make sure he was still asleep, out of habit and to keep himself from crying.

"That's horrible, how did you cope?" Kurama inquired gently and Sam cleared his throat.

"Dean, he helped a lot and hunting, we put all our energy into hunting the demon down. Even after we stopped him, it was one person after another that we knew dying or their lives being ruined just because they met us. Now it's happened to you as well, getting dragged into this mess and you lost your family because of us." Sam sighed, wishing he could change the past, but he had learned his lesson with that one.

"It's not your fault, it would have happened one way or another. I'm not exactly the most loved reindeer of them all, you know. I have enemies and it could have just as likely been one of them, or worse, my family could actually be dead." Kurama said comfortingly, though he didn't really feel it, Sam could tell the loss of his family had hit him hard.

"For what it's worth, I wouldn't wish the loss of family on even my enemy." Sam muttered, just loud enough for Kurama to hear as he settled into his seat and started to doze.

* * *

Dean had a crick in his neck and crusties at the corners of his mouth. Grumbling in disgust, Dean looked around for Sam, but Kurama was the only one in the room.

"Where's Sam? How long have I been out?" Dean asked and Kurama made a show of looking at his phone.

"We're just about to hit the twelve-hour mark, there was announcement a few minutes ago that we would be landing. Your brother just went to wash up a little in the bathroom, he should be out any second and then you may have a turn."

Dean nodded in thanks, standing and making his way to the bathroom, knocking lightly just to make sure Sam was really in there, still breathing.

"Yeah, be out in a second." Came his brother's voice from the other side of the door and Dean sighed in relief.

True to his words, the door opened and Sam's mop of hair poked out, followed by the rest of his towering frame. His brother was only slightly surprised that it was him and they both paused long enough to convey everything was good before trading places.

"You have about five minutes before the plane lands, you should be in your seat by then." Sam warned as he walked off and Dean didn't bother putting forth the effort to even grunt in response as he needed to go to the bathroom badly.

Once done, washed up as best he could, Dean returned to the seat and settled in, buckling a little nervously as the plane gave a lurch, rocking them roughly.

"This sucks, how come that little brat couldn't just find another boat?" Dean grumbled, though it was mostly to himself, as the other two ignored him. Dean's stomach gave a rumble and it had him wondering when they would be able to get breakfast.

"Once we land, Koenma has arranged for a rental car to be dropped off for us. I trust that one of you can drive?" Kurama asked nervously and it had both brother pausing to look at him like he had just grown another head.

"Don't you know how to drive? I mean you at least have your licence right?" Sam asked in astonishment, finding it hard to believe something as common as driving would be a skill that the fox demon would lack.

"Well, I do have it, but my skills are beyond rusty, I haven't driven since I took the test. I haven't had a need to, I either walk, take a bus or a cab and cars are expensive, it's hardly worth it to buy one living in Tokyo." Kurama blushed, it wasn't something he had thought would be an important skill living with so many options of transportation, now it seemed kind of silly not to know.

"Wow, that's just... wow." Dean snorted and Sam slapped him on the arm, scolding him for being rude.

"We both can drive, however, more often then not, we drive everywhere we go. The United States is big and unless you live somewhere like New York, it's important to have a car. Depending on how long you plan to stay, it's probably best you re-learn." Sam explained and Kurama nodded gloomily, not excited about the prospect of driving himself places.

Often he preferred the time it took to get from one place to the next to think, let his mind and attention wonder. However, if he needed to, he was sure he could drive, so he wasn't sure what Sam meant by re-learning to drive.

"I do know how to drive, why would I need to re-learn?" Kurama inquired, perplexed why Sam would think that.

"Americans drive on the right-hand side of the road and we have different laws, we also use Miles-Per-Hour instead of kilometers. Though speed limit should be easy, you just match the gauge to the speed limit sign." Sam said in an attempt to lighten how different it would be.

"I see, well it can't be too different can it? I am quite dextrous and I have a really good memory, however, if you don't mind, I would prefer if I could simply ride with you?" Kurama asked, the plane gave another shudder that had Dean gripping the arm rest.

"No way! Once I get my car back, we're leaving, we don't want your help and you're defiantly not staying with us." Dean growled and Kurama had a friendly smile plastered unwavering on his face.

"It's alright, I wouldn't mind doing a little work on my own for a while, but I would appreciate a little help, possibly what exactly has happened so far?" Kurama inquired and Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair. Dean just knew his brother was rethinking letting the kitsune help them and he didn't like it one bit.

"I don't think that's a good idea, but our car is at a friend's house, maybe he could would be willing to help you." Sam offered and Dean snorted, letting out a chuckle.

"He'd be more likely to fill you full of buckshot and then us for even suggesting it, but if you want to, knock yourself out."

"Don't be that way Dean, I plan on telling Bobby everything anyway and you're going to help me." Sam ordered and it ruffled his feathers his little brother was trying to boss him around, but even he had to admit he was getting attached to the fox and that it would be hard to kill it without probable cause.

"Whatever, but I swear, if you turn out to be some back stabbing hell bitch trying to lull us into a false security to trick us into saying yes... I'll-" Dean began to say and Kurama's chuckle cutting him off.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, however, I can assure you I want to save the world as much as you. I do have to live in it as well, least you forget." Kurama promised, their paranoia reminded him Hiei's in some ways and it was depressing with how apart they had grown over the years.

They made it out of the air port without any trouble, Kurama's spoken English wasn't the best, but it was understandable; he could read and write English better than he spoke it. A Nissan Micro pulled up and a man in a uniform peeled himself from inside the cab, barely able to fit, causing both brothers to groan.

"No way, neither of us is going to be able to drive that!" Dean complained, throwing his hands in the air and made an attempt to stomp off toward the parking lot, however, Sam stopped him.

"It's alright, I think I can drive it, just, you'll have to inform me when I should stop or turn." Kurama trembled, the thought of driving so soon after admitting his lack of skill had him sweating nervously and he knew for sure his friend would never let him live this down if they could see him.

Nothing ever truly scared him... or so they thought and it was with that mind-set that he took the keys from the car delivery man and began loading their bags into the miniscule trunk space.

"No way am I getting in that car." Dean swore, digging his heals in stubbornly as Sam scooted the front passenger's seat all the way back so he would fit; if barely.

"Shut up Dean or I'm going to hit you and then you can be cramped and sore." Sam threatened, folding himself into the seat and scrunching his limbs up so he could shut the door.

With a last huff, Dean climbed in, shutting the door, then leaned his back against it so he could stretch his legs over the seat and have a little more room.

"This is ridiculous, if I ever see that pacifier breath again, I'm going to shove that Binky do far down his throat he'll have to crap it out." Dean vowed angrily, the car making a lurch as Kurama put it into gear before putting his foot on the break.

"Careful!" The brothers barked in unison and slowly they made it out of the airport.

* * *

Two hours, three almost accidents and a pit stop for something to eat later, the three of them pulled past the rusted gate that served as the entrance to Singer Salvage. The rusted cars piled one on top of the other sat unmoving and the grass was had grown a few feet taller in the time they were gone.

Bobby was wheeling himself onto the porch as they pulled up, looking grumpier then ever. His hat was absent, causing the brother to worry, especially as it looked as if the old grump hadn't slept in ages or groomed himself. Dean could tell he had even lost some weight in their absence and guilt welled up at the thought of Bobby being stuck in his house, paralyzed from the waist down, by himself without any help.

Kurama parked the car, and turned to the brother's with a questioning glance, making sure they were in the right place. Surely this famed hunter couldn't be a crippled old man in a wheel chair, looking withered and ready to pass out from exhaustion.

Without giving him a proper answer, the brothers made quick work of climbing from the undersized thing that passed as a car. The man on the porch looked less than impressed as the climbed out and lifted an old colt revolver from his lap, aiming it at them.

"And what on God's green Earth do ya idjits think you're doing?" Bobby demanded gruffly, pulling the hammer back on the gun, a feat that must have been hard to do one-handed.

"Look, Bobby, we're sorry we disappeared so suddenly. We got captured by pagan gods and then Gabriel showed up, it was a mess. We've been stuck in Japan for weeks!" Dean rambled, sounding a lot like Botan when she thought she was going to get scolded.

"Yeah, and I'm supposed to believe that? What are you, shape shifters? Demons?" Bobby demanded and Dean rolled his eyes, Sam opting to pull down his collar to show the anti-possession tattoos and Dean pulled out a silver knife, cutting his arm.

"None of the above, it's us, Bobby. We'll do whatever tests we have to, to prove it." Sam promised and glanced questioningly at Dean and Kurama.

Bobby just glared at them, laying the gun down in his lap and began wheeling back into the house, never taking his eyes off them. Dean took that as a sign to come in and lead the way for the other two to follow, mildly curious if Kurama would pass Bobby's test being part human.

Sure they had bought talismans in Japan to keep him out of the room, but he didn't know if Bobby would have any of that kind of stuff. Even the talismans they used were only partially effective, mostly just a mild shock to the kitsune and it amused Dean that Bobby might not be prepared for once.

The paranoid old hunter warded against everything under the sun and it was hard to believe he wouldn't have anything against a kitsune. He did speak Japanese after all and he was the one who supplied Sam the book on kitsune in the first place.

Kurama passed under the devil's trap with ease and the holy water test, which surprised Dean slightly. They had done the devil's trap test, but they didn't have a rosary on them and not many Japanese people were catholic.

"Well, now that we know you morons are yourselves for the most part, who's your friend?" Bobby grunted, wheeling himself behind his desk to look at them better.

"My name is Kurama, I am the one they stayed with during their time over seas." The kitsune introduced himself and the brothers nodded in agreement when the older hunter looked to them for confirmation.

"Okay, that don't explain why you're taking up space in my house." Bobby barked, growing impatient with beating around the bush with introductions.

"Kurama, is a kitsune, he and his boss are the ones who saved us from the pagan gods." Dean blurted and Sam glared at him, he hadn't wanted to tell Bobby the whole truth, but Dean was sick of the lies.

"And you brought him here? Why not just kill him in Japan before you left?" Bobby demanded to know, glaring at Kurama.

"I wouldn't suggest killing me, or attempting it for that matter. I'm not your average Kitsune, the fact I'm mostly human aside." Kurama smiled friendly, despite the underline threat pouring from his mouth.

"Look, no one's killing anyone here, he's here to help, even if I don't like it. It would be really big help if you to update him on what's been happening with the apocalypse. The Trickster gave us a good lead on beating the devil and though I hate to admit it, we might need his help." Dean ground out, it was harder to come to that decision then he thought it would have been, however, deep down he knew it was the right one.

Unlike with Ruby, his entire being was screaming at him to trust Kurama, a monster of all things. His gut told him, if he didn't, something bad was going to happen. Evidence that the fox could be trusted from Gabriel, who he never really hated as a monster; had a respect for, sent them without question through the portal. Even though that didn't inspire much confidence with the decision to coöperate with a monster, it did ease some of the guilt.

Dean knew John Winchester would never have stooped as low as to working with a monster. He would have died first. However, John Winchester didn't believe in angels and John Winchester wasn't here to tell him that it was wrong, even though Dean knew he would.

Because John Winchester would have killed his own son before he went too far and freed the devil in the first place.

"Are you sure about that, boy?" Bobby asked, obviously confused by Sam's surprised look at trusting Kurama.

"Yeah, I am. However, that doesn't mean I trust him; so keep him on a short leash. We're not going to have another Ruby incident." Dean vowed, shooting a warning look to the smiling red-head. "Don't make me regret this."

Kurama merely nodded with a deep bow, though it was a respectful one, even Dean could tell it was slightly mocking. Obviously the kitsune's fur was ruffled at not being trusted, but he had enough sense not to argue the point.

"So what exactly has happened while we were gone?" Sam said, getting down to what the brothers really wanted to know...

Well, one of them anyway.

"More importantly, where's my car?" Dean butted in just before Bobby could answer.

"Actually I think you two should lay low more often. Other than normal haunts and spooks there hasn't been much going on. It looks as if everything and it's brother's been on the hunt for you two, too busy to muck up any serious trouble." Bobby answered and Dean sighed, earning a slap from Sam.

"Great, so in other words, it would have been better if we had stayed missing, right? Whatever, since nothing's been going on, just means we're going to have to raise a little hell and finish our ring collection. Now, where's my baby? That douche bag better not have scratched it." Dean threatened emptily, there was no longer a Trickster to bitch at if something had happened.

"It's in the shop under a tarp all gift wrapped for you. I couldn't even peek at it, so my guess is you're the only one who can remove it." Bobby relented reluctantly, Dean felt guilty for obsessing more about his car then a supposed father figure.

"Great! Other then nothing happening, you been holding up good? Anything around here you need help with before we hit the road?" Dean drilled, studying the older hunter for any sign of that he was trying to down play how rough he's had it since being handicapped.

"I ain't going to keel over if that's what you're asking. But now that you've mentioned it, I could use a nice strong back to mow around one of the pallets of cars, I have someone coming for the scrap." Bobby offered with a twinkle in his eye, knowing the brother's wouldn't stick around to do that, it wasn't really important that it be done either.

"Actually if you don't mind me staying, I would be more than willing to tend to your yard and garden. I noticed you had a half dead vegetable garden and with a little tending, I believe I could bring it back to life for you." Kurama offered, knowing that either way he wouldn't be going with the brothers and it was better to get on his host's good side.

Though if the fox was honest with himself, he had a feeling that he was seeing the old grump's good side.

"You ain't saying here, if that's what you mean. However, I wouldn't mind having the garden back in working order..." Bobby mused, glaring at Sam and Dean for dumping their monster on him.

"I can rent a room or apartment in town, I don't want to impose." Kurama offered and all of them could tell he was against staying in the withered abode as the owner of said house was.

"Fine, but you get under my wheels or pull anything remotely weird; hell, if someone goes missing in town. You'll be dead the moment you walk through to door." Bobby promised and Kurama smiled, bowing once more.

"Thank you for your hospitality and I apologise for the inconvenience. I promise not to be a bother." Kurama vowed, the older man reminded him a lot of Genkai and it left him wondering how she was enjoying her after life.

"Yeah, you better. Now get gone you idjits, Rufus is going to be calling soon and I need the house quiet."

* * *

An: I thought I was never going to get this chapter done! Hurricanes are a pain and now that I have this chapter done, I find out I'm moving... in a week, or rather, a week from yesterday. So the next chapters might be a while before they are posted as I might not have internet.

However, I promise to try to have them posted before Halloween! Sorry, it's going to be a long wait. Review and let me know what you all think, and I hope you'll stick around for what's to befall the Winchester brother's and their foreign monster!


	10. Double Trouble! Grumpy Old Men!

**Chapter 8**

Fox in the Chicken Coop

* * *

Kurama was pleased with the work he had done in Bobby's yard. The men to who came to pick up the pallet of cars were impressed with how much the yard had improved, saying they hadn't known Singer had a nephew.

An assumption Kurama didn't correct.

Bobby had informed him about the happenings of the apocalypse and that was the last he talked to the older man. Not that he minded, the occasional glance from the curtains as he dug in the garden was the only attention he received and it suited him just fine.

That was, until Rufus turned up with a cursed object.

It was a simple little thing, shiny and silver. Kurama wasn't sure what it had been used for, however, it looked as if it were charm bracelets friends would wear. The chains were currently clasped together and the two face like charms jingled together.

Of coarse, at the time Kurama didn't know it was a cursed object. Bobby and Rufus had left the office, Rufus wheeling Bobby up the stairs, just minutes before Kurama had entered to ask if there was anything else he needed help with.

It was just lying there, tempting him to reach out and touch it. The metal sparkling in the sun peaking through the curtains.

The fact it looked so out of place in the dusty old office is what prompted Kurama to actually touch it, even though he knew better than to try to steal it.

The thumping of Bobby and Rufus was a dull sound the second his fingers brushed the cool surface of the chain, shouts for him not to, fell on deaf ears as the only thing he could hear was a high-pitched ringing.

Everything turned into burning light and Kurama knew no more.

* * *

Dean wasn't really sure what Crowley's end game was. They now found themselves relying on the demon for information on Pestilence for the third horseman's ring.

Though neither brother was complaining about having to work with him at the moment, as said demon stood, patting the back on his hell-hound, which ironically, was there to save them.

As they were fleeing the house, Brady, the demon Crowley bound to its meat suit, Dean had a sudden feeling everything was going to work out.

Sam had not only resisted giving into his urge to kill the demon who personally murdered his girlfriend for the yellow eyed demon, but he also resisted the temptation of demon blood sitting right in front of him.

There was hope for his little brother yet and Dean was more than willing to allow his brother his revenge, now that the youngest Winchester was thinking clearly.

So, instead of letting the demon go, he texted Crowley and told him to meet them at a secluded alley not far from where they had hidden out.

He almost couldn't keep the smile from his face as he poured the salt line, pausing only long enough to let Crowley out before trapping the lesser demon in with his brother.

Needless to say, the hell spawn was no match in a fair fight against Sam and it didn't last long before sparks flashed beneath the flesh of the victim host.

"Come on Sam, let's get us a horseman." Dean smirked, dragging his ragged looking brother down the alley with an arm thrown over his sore shoulders for support.

It was almost like old times, ganking a monster and then moving onto the next hunt, however, Dean knew it wouldn't last.

They hadn't even got the Impala's doors shut before his phone started ringing. Flipping it open, Dean put the phone to his ear.

"Hello." Was his simple answer, it was usually the best way to start a conversation, just in case it turned out to be police or something looking for them.

"Dean, it's Bobby, we got a bit of a situation, is there anyway the two of you can get here?" Bobby asked, shushing a familiar voice in the background that wasn't Kurama.

"Actually we were just on our way toward you. We got a lead on Pestilence." Dean informed the older hunter and was slightly disappointed when he didn't get even a relieved sound at that bit of information.

"Damn, balls." Bobby cursed, grunting in a way he did when he was wheeling himself and trying to do something else at the same time. "Look, I just need you two to pick up a curse box from you're daddy's storage room and drop it off, but if you can't, just leave a message, I'm gonna be- Not that way you old goat, loop it the other way and tie it with-" Bobby's voice shouted before it trailed off, getting muffled for a moment as he moved away from the phone.

Sam raised a questioning eyebrow and Dean shrugged.

"Needs us to pick up a curse box from dad's locker, sounds like something's up." Dean informed his brother.

"Curse box? You think he's having trouble with a cursed object?" Sam asked and Dean frowned, unsure.

"He didn't say and I think I heard Rufus in the background."

"Hey Dean, I gotta go, just worry about getting that ring, I think I can figure out what to do without the box. But after you get the ring, get back here, your demon friend here just did something stupid and I gotta figure out how to fix him." Bobby bit out and Dean was slightly confused.

"What do you-" Dean began to say but the line went dead, having been hung up. "-mean?" Dean finished lamely into the phone.

"What's going on, is Bobby okay?" Sam asked, worried for the man they looked to as a second father.

"I don't know, but Bobby said not to worry about the curse box and then he just hung up. Let's just focus on getting Pestilence's ring." Dean shrugged, setting his phone on the seat next to him before starting the car.

The only thing they could think of as the Impala turned onto the road, was what trouble the old hunter could possibly be in.

* * *

Kurama's head hurt.

Correction, his whole body hurt and he couldn't move.

A deep inhale told him the reason was because he was restrained in someway, as the pressure preventing his chest from expanding too wide proved it.

His rei felt drained and he wondered if someone was using a rei surpression rope to tie him with. Which left him wondering who would have tied him up.

The last thing he remembered, was reaching out to touch a shiny object on Bobby's desk and then nothing.

Either he had been attacked from behind, or there was something wrong with the bracelet.

Cracking an eye open, Kurama was greeted with darkness.

It wasn't a darkness like night fall, or a darkened room, but the darkness of a sack over his head. It was weighing down on his ears and Kurama mildly wondered what had caused him to transform into his Yoko form.

A groan from across the room had him shifting to hear better. At first he had thought he let it slip, as it had sounded as if he had made the noise, however, the distinct sound of clothes moving told him otherwise.

Someone else had been knocked out in the room as well and Kurama had a bad feeling something wasn't quite right.

"Glad to see you two awake." Bobby's gruff voice spoke up. He wasn't the one Kurama had heard and he wondered if by some chance it was Rufus who had made the sound.

He seriously doubted it.

"What's going on, why am I tied up?" He asked, though his voice sounded wierd, like he was speaking, but also listening to himself speak.

"Look at that, they even speak at the same time." Rufus commented, only confusing him more.

"What do you mean-" Kurama began to say, but cut himself off at the strangeness of hearing himself. Deciding to start again, getting frustrated, he blurted the first thing to pop into his head, seeing if he could trip up the other voice.

"Yusuke likes wearing Keiko's underwear." He chuckled and the other voice scoffed.

"What the hell is going on! Who's mimicking my voice?" The other voice demanded, it was wierd hearing himself, but not the strangest thing he had witness in his long life. It was probably a shape shifter sitting across from him and he attributed that to the exactness of their speaking earlier.

"I am Kurama, what are you, a shifter? Rather poor imitation if you ask me." Kurama huffed, it would have blown the piece of hair tickling his nose out of the way, if not for the sack on his head.

"Will you two shut up, Kurama, which ever one, when's your birthday?" Bobby demanded and Kurama thought for a moment, pondering which one the hunter meant, deciding to go with his most recent one.

"June 22, 1977." They both answered, irritating Kurama just slightly, enough for his ear to twitch under the sack.

"Shit Bobby, stupid bracelet's pretty much harmless unless the one who touches it is a Gemini." Ruffus barked, and began pacing between the two of them.

"But isn't the twenty-second a Cancer sign?" Bobby inquired and Rufus snorted.

"Only by modern calendars, it's technically both, Cancer and Gemini, the cusp between the transfer of each sign. Because he's technically a Gemini, the dual personalities split, however, there's a catch." Rufus informed them and Kurama wondered what that catch could be.

"Well, spit it out, we ain't getting any younger here." Bobby snapped impatiently.

"Well, though they are two halves of a whole, one of them has all the evil parts in him and the other has all the nicer traits. In this case, as you have informed me of his predicament, I think the demon half got separated from the human half." Rufus explained as he removed the sacks, reviling a redheaded Kurama sitting across from him.

Though their facial features were similar, there was a distinct difference between them. Namely size and coloring.

"Well, then the answer is obvious, the evil one is the demon." The human form of Shuichi spoke and Kurama's ears laid down angrily.

"Even as a demon I was never evil. Mischievous, sure, cunning and charming defiantly, but not evil." Kurama argued, pissed that he would even call himself that.

Not that it mattered, he could tell Rufus at least seemed to be thinking along the same lines as his human half.

"I say we kill e'm both, just to be sure." Rufus volunteered, proving Kurama wrong about wanting to kill just him.

"Or how about we don't. What happened to the people who had gotten cursed by the bracelets before?" Bobby asked and Rufus sighed.

"I only know of two cases. Someone ended up killing the evil one and they both died." Rufus said, which had both Kurama's flinching.

"And the other case?" Bobby persisted, wanting to know if they had managed to save the victim.

"Died after a couple of days because of the curse. A person isn't meant to be split in half like that." The darker skinned hunter explained, rubbing his chin in thought. "So, one way or another, this whole mess will work it's self out."

"Well I don't feel particularly evil, so how about you let us go. I can contact my boss, he might be able to help or know someone who can." Shuichi asked and Kurama snorted, thinking what a suck up his other self was.

"And how do you plan to do that? Slit our throats and speak into the bloody bits left behind?" Rufus accused and Kurama rolled his eyes.

"One of us has a compact mirror, it's actually like a cellphone, only magically connected to Reikai." Kurama explained lazily, not wanting to die again.

"Where is it? I'll hold it up for you, but the two of you are staying put until we know which one is the nut job." Bobby barked and Kurama shifted, not feeling the compact in his pocket.

"I do." Shuichi said silkily and Kurama narrowed his eyes, laying his ears down with a glare.

The human part of him was up to something and he didn't like the look it was giving the aged hunter. Without proof, however, Kurama kept his mouth shut and watched as Bobby wheeled up to Shuichi.

Big mistake.

In a flash, Shuichi's hands were free and a thorny whip coiled it's self around Bobby's chest, pinning him to his chair and preventing him from moving.

"Well, guess we know which is the evil one." Rufus huffed, giving Bobby a 'I told you so' expression.

"Balls." Bobby cursed.

* * *

AN: Okay, so I sort of lied before, I got more done on the next chapter then I thought I would. lol

However, I'm leaving in a couple of days, so I know I won't have time to work on the next chapter. So, like my previous message, it will be a while before the next chapter is out!

Let me know what you think of it so far! Review please!


	11. Chapter 9: Double Mint Twins

Fox in the Chicken Coop

Chapter 9

Happy Halloween! ~

* * *

Kurama laid his ears back in irritation, glaring at the counter part to his soul.

"Am I the only one who thinks this is a little cliché?" Kurama muttered to himself, the humans, including his other half not able to hear him or had decided to ignore him.

"So, what were saying about not killing them Robert?" Rufus snarled, inching closer to Kurama with a knife he pulled from his jeans.

"I wouldn't suggest taking another step Mr. Turner. You might find yourself and your friend in a situation reminiscent of Humpty Dumpty." Shuichi threatened, momentarily halting Rufus.

Kurama mentally sighed, he could feel the energy rolling off Shuichi, however, try as he might, he couldn't access his spirit energy. Worse yet, Shuichi had all the plant seeds.

However, Kurama's hands weren't completely tied, figuratively of course, well, for now.

He had been working the rope with his claws, mentally cursing Koenma all the while. Though he was able to pick at the rather fragile rope easily, that didn't mean the bed of his nails weren't starting to ache with the grinding.

'Inari, why did this blasted rope have to be so damn thick!' He growled mentally, though his features remained stoic as usual.

Apparently these hunters were experienced with holding down strong supernatural creatures, however, it spelled trouble for Kurama as he could tell this Mexican stand off was about to end and more than likely bloody.

"Yeah, well I wasn't one for figuring the odds, so let's see who's quicker!" Rufus growled and went to stab Kurama with more speed then he would have expected for a human not using at least low level Rei.

Fortunately that meant Shuichi had to change tactics, instead of having time for a killing blow on Bobby, he had just enough time to release him and lash his whip to stop the lunge of Rufus' knife.

Which gave Kurama an opening.

Bursting free from his bindings, he hit the ground, kicking his leg out to knock the elder hunter on his ass, barely missing the razor effect of the whip lash.

"Dammit!" Shuichi cursed and before any of them could recover, he bolted through the closed widow of Bobby's office, shattering it in his escape.

Kurama growled, scrambling to his feet and shoving the slightly over weight human off him only to be halted by a barrier. Cursing, Kurama lifted up the edge of the rug he had been standing on, only to find Japanese talismans tacked to the floor.

"Let me out, I have to stop him!" Kurama snapped, slamming against the barrier in anger when neither hunter moved.

"Like hell we will." Bobby barked right back, looking to the window rubbing his neck where the whip had made little dots of blood well up.

"Neither of you are spry enough to pursue him, let me bring him back. If he kills someone, even if we do die, we'll end up in Rekai prison again. We're not exactly liked by the other inmates considering we helped put a good number of them there." Kurama all but whined, ears twitching in agitation.

"We'll get him eventually, but you're going to sit tight until we get this mess sorted out." Bobby ordered and picked up the bracelet with an old handkerchief from his jacket pocket and Rufus helped him into his chair. He then wheeled himself over to his safe and placed the object inside.

Sitting back down in the chair with a huff, Kurama crossed his arms and folded one leg over the other. If he wasn't going anywhere for now, he sure as hell wasn't going to stand around like an idiot. Rufus had moved to stand next to him again and a tickle of air around his ear had him leaning away from the older man.

"Don't even think about it. I'm not Inuyasha and you're defiantly not a cute little school girl." Kurama growled and Rufus jerked his hand back from where it had been inching toward the kitsune's ears.

"Tch, whatever, just wanted to know if they were real or some kind of illusion. Most kitsune don't have ears or tails like that." Rufus snorted and stepped well out of the reach of the fox demon.

"Those aren't the same breed, they're from a line of people cursed to feed on human glands by Inari himself. I was never human to begin with, I am of the fox breed, demonic from birth." Kurama said with a twitch, getting irritated with the humans.

Apparently his ability to tolerate humans and their nature left with his humanity.

"Well, that was until I merged with a human soul. I suppose Shuichi is more like those cursed by Inari rather than pure bred kitsune. However, the difference between us and them, is that we are far more powerful." Kurama couldn't help boasting, it bugged him that once again he had been trapped by a hunter and if he didn't get out soon, he would die, again.

"Quit your yammering and pick up a book. You're ego isn't going to save you, so how about you redirect your attention to finding a way to reverse the effects of that bracelet." Rufus grunted his agreement and Bobby tossed a book to the kitsune before propping himself against his desk, wheel chair locked in place as he began to read his own book.

* * *

Dean felt like crap, even after the effects of Pestilence wore off everything seemed to ache for several hours. Sam was sure it was all in his head, but Dean wasn't so sure. His gut felt like it had been torn in two and for some reason this near death experience was a little worse than last ones.

Looking to Sam, who was in the middle of packing his things neatly into his bag, gave him a feeling of familiarity, as if he had watched someone else do the same thing.

However, for the life of him, he couldn't place the feeling, the only words that came to mind were _Déjà vu_.

Shaking his shoulders and running a hand over his face Dean chalked it up to being reminiscent of the second time they had met the Trickster, when he stuck Sam in a time loop.

Even though he didn't remember any of it personally, Sam had assured him his new distaste for tacos and even stronger dislike of dogs was because of the Trickster.

Pulling out his phone and turning it back on, Dean checked the messages to find he had a couple missed calls. Two of which were the sound of a bunch of numbers being pressed, which only served to make his mood sour as the messages were old saved ones and the last one a distressed call from Bobby.

"What is it?" Sam asked noticing his confusion at listening to the sound of the older hunter's voice. He really didn't feeling up to the drive, but if Bobby needed them, he would until he dropped to help the man.

"Bobby's having some trouble, apparently Kurama touched a cursed object and I don't think we should wait." Dean said with a tired yawn, standing and grabbing his empty bag and began shoving things haphazardly into it.

"Are you up to driving? I mean I'm sure Bobby could wait a couple more hours." Sam tried to reason, but Dean wasn't having any of it, he was suddenly catching his second wind and if he could just get a hold on some Joe, then he would be all set for the rest of the night.

"I'll be good, just pack your things and we'll pick up some caffeine."

* * *

Dean hated when the sun came up.

He was more used to the night life, so the blaring rays of the morning sun gave him a headache and made him nauseous.

That, or it could have been the fact he had nothing but caffeine all night and it was finally catching up with him.

Whatever the reason for the nausea, about mid morning when they finally pulled into Singer Salvage he was about ready to hug the porch beams off Bobby's house.

Despite being tired enough he could drive in his sleep, the feeling of still moving once they finally pulled to a stop never ceased to amuse him. The feeling of his muscles finally being free to move was a relief and he found himself waking up a little more as they greeted the old cuss at his front door.

"Boys, good to see you." Bobby said, not missing a beat in splashing them with a douse of holy water from a flask he had in his lap.

"You could just ask us to drink it Bobby." Dean grumbled as he dried his face off with a towel that had been tossed to him and the older hunter gave him a grin.

"Can't be too careful these days." Bobby said with what was supposed to be an innocent shrug and he couldn't help the smile at his own antics.

"Got that right, so what's so important that the Great Bobby Singer can't handle it?" Dean asked and Bobby swatted at him scoldingly on the thigh.

"Cram it boy, it's not my fault your pet aint house broke. If he had just kept his sticky fingers to himself then he wouldn't be in this situation. Now let's see what we can do about the double mint twins." Bobby jabbed back, though neither of them meant it personally despite the tone they used.

"I wasn't stealing it, it drew me in!" A muffled voice shouted offended from Bobby's office, it was deeper then they remembered and had them moving in the direction it came from.

* * *

Kurama glared sulkily at Bobby as he and the Winchesters entered the room. He had been trapped here for hours and was ready to throw a fit for being cooped up like an animal in a cage.

"Well, there you have it, not sure what to do with him until we catch his other half." Bobby informed the brothers, stuffing his hands in his pockets and resting his tired arms.

"Do what with him? Can't he take care of himself?" The tallest Winchester brother asked confused. Kurama was impressed, he couldn't remember the last time he had come across a human that tall and he wondered if the demonic blood in him had anything to do with that.

But that wasn't really what caught his attention about the two of them. It was the way Dean stood, right hand hovering over his stomach, shoulders squared and bags under his eyes. A sense of _Déjà vu_ that he couldn't quite place had his mind working, remembering back to when this was once his normal form.

_'Ah man Kurama, why do we have to be up this early?' _A faceless voice complained, he couldn't remember who said it, just the irritation that came with the slight whiny tone_._

_'Cause, you're the moron who blew our chance at stealing it the other night.' _Past Kurama replied and the memory slipped from his mind. Not only could he not remember who he said it to, he couldn't even place what it was they had planned to steal.

Not that was saying much, he had stolen many objects in his life and had many partners in crime.

During his time spacing off the conversation had escalated, neither one thinking it was a great idea to let him go, however, at the same time they all agreed they couldn't keep him there forever, even if the talismans held. In the end, Dean was the one to remove the strips of paper from the floor, but Kurama just stayed where he sat, bouncing his foot lazily.

"Well that was anticlimactic." Dean murmured and Kurama repressed a snort of amusement.

Who did they take him for?

Even if he had planned something, he certainly wouldn't do it when they were all expecting it.

"I say we hit the road, Shuichi isn't going to find himself." Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair and looking to Kurama when he still didn't move.

"What, you expect me to run around Ningenkai looking like this? Either I'll be hunted like an animal or girls will chase me." The kitsune's ears flicked in agitation.

"He's got a point, we could put a leash on him and try to pass him off as a dog." Dean suggested and Bobby smacked him in the knee.

"Got anymore bright ideas, idjit." Bobby huffed as he wheeled out of the room. His grunts could be heard rolling down the hall only for them the return a few minutes later with something in his lap.

"What's all that for?" Sam asked and Kurama stood, making his way over to the items to look at them curiously. Bobby handed him a white knit hat that was kind of girly, however it would hide his ears more comfortably then a truck hat would.

"Are those my clothes?" Sam asked, lifting up a pair of his more worn out jeans, they had holes in the knees and Sam had thought about getting them patched, however, he ended up breaking down and buying a new pair.

"Yeah, we'll cut them off at the knee and I have a shirt that should be in okay condition. It's not exactly fashionable, but you won't stand out so bad." Bobby said, offering Kurama the clothes. He held them up with a raised eyebrow before allowing his own white, traditional clothes to shift into something similar looking, however, they looked more new then the ones he held. To top off the look, Kurama added a pea-coat much like the one his human half would wear during the fall time to keep warm.

"I don't wear shorts, however, thank you for the hat." It took all of Kurama's will to force the words out. The ningen was trying to be helpful and despite being a womanly hat, it would be far more comfortable than anything else the hunter had.

"I don't have any shades, so one of them will have to lend you a pair. It's not the best disguise, however, if you keep your hands in your pockets when you're in public, you should be able to go about without too much staring." Bobby explained, while Sam and Dean were impressed with the sudden cloths shifting.

"How did your clothes do that?" Dean finally broke down and asked, curiosity winning out over freakishness.

"They're not real, a manifestation of my demonic energy, kind of like armor, only it looks like clothes." Kurama wasn't sure if Dean fully understood, but the demon fox really didn't care, he just wanted to find his other half and fix this mess before he died again.

"As awesome and weird as that sounds, we should get going." Sam offered and Kurama was thankful that at least one of them was willing to get down to business. The brothers Winchester bid their father figure goodbye and Kurama slid into the back seat of the Impala, stretching out as much as he could.

That was one thing he hadn't minded about being mostly human, the size difference. At least here in human world, it felt cramped in his demonic form, especially in the death traps humans used to move about. He would have preferred to run to where ever they were going, however that would draw too much attention and he had to admit, this particular vehicle wasn't as cramped as the one Koenma had issued for him to drive.

Dean parked himself behind the wheel, starting the car up tiredly. Not even the purr of the engine could cheer him up as put the car in reverse.

"First things first, Sam and I need some rest, we'll pick up the trail first thing tonight. Any arguments?" Dean demanded to know and Kurama studied the human before him for a moment.

Despite wanting to get this over with, Kurama was pretty sure he would need help finding Shuichi. He hardly spoke the language understandably, let alone reading it, unlike his human half and the more eyes out looking for Shuichi, the better.

"None, do what you need to, I work better at night anyway." Kurama answered.

"Great, just don't go sneaking off while we're asleep." Dean said, cranking his music and peeling out of the driveway.

Kurama was sure he would be deaf if it weren't for the hat he was wearing.

* * *

Bobby watched as the Impala vanished from the driveway, the dusty cloud Dean always kicked up could be seen from the house.

Bobby wheeled himself behind his desk and pulled out his hidden bottle of whisky. He was in the middle of pouring himself a glass when the smell of sulfur filled the room.

"Get out of here before I shoot you." Bobby threatened, though it probably didn't seem very threatening from an old drunken cripple.

"I don't know if you know who I am, but I'm Crowley." The demon got out before he was picking himself up off the floor from where buck shot had knocked him back. "Or maybe you do." He muttered, dusting his clothes.

"Oh, I know who you are, what the hell are you doing in my home?" Bobby demanded and Crowley frowned at his shirt, making several comments about how expensive it is.

"I'm here to make a deal. I know a spell that will get you Death's location, however, there's just this one tinsy little thing I need to make the whole thing work. It's quite embarrassing actually." Crowley said in a predatory way and Bobby narrowed his eyes at the King of the Crossroads.

"My soul." Bobby growled out, the demon smirked and the old hunter's trigger finger twitched.

"Borrow, I'll give it back, promise." Crowley offered, glass of scotch appearing in his hand for him to sip from.

"Why the hell not, it's only the end of the world." Bobby said and Crowley grinned, looming over the crippled man.

"Pucker up sugar and give Daddy a kiss."

* * *

AN: As I promised! I posted no later than Halloween. lol Even have a "double the pleasure double to fun" for you all and will be posting a double feature today! So hit review, tell me what you think and make your way to the next chapter!


	12. Two Minutes to Midnight

**Fox in the Chicken Coop**

**Chapter 10**

Here's your double feature! ~

* * *

Two days.

Forty eight hours and thirty-nine minutes to be exact, since he was separated from his human half.

The Winchesters had turned out to be surprisingly good at what they do, however, they tended to get sidetracked more often than not when it wasn't something to do with one or the other.

In the process of locating Shuichi, they had salted and burned a ghost, killed three demons and been pulled over for speeding.

Dean was driving of course.

However, they were running out of time and Kurama could feel it. Each day his bones grew weaker and his muscles less flexible.

Which was good, considering it had to have taken the same toll on his other half as it was him.

As it was, they were checking into the collapse of a man with red hair. Third one they've tracked down, the last one ended up actually being a woman and not the man they were hunting.

There was shouting and worried chatter from down the hall, Sam and Dean paused only long enough to look at each other to confirm they were going to poke their noses into the disturbance before taking off, leaving Kurama behind to catch up.

Whatever had caused the ruckus was gone now, though a handful of nurses had gathered around to see what the commotion was.

By the time Kurama caught up to the crowed, Sam and Dean had already vanished, a nurse lay sprawled on the ground, bleeding and one of the doctors kneeling over her to check her vitals.

"How is she?" One of the nurses asked worried, if Kurama had to guess, she was probably friends with the young nurse on the ground.

"She's alive, but a couple of the cuts are close to arteries, we need to get her into surgery quick. Kim, prep the OR, Janice, get a couple orderlies to help me move her, I need a stretcher and neck brace. You, grab some bandages, we need to slow the bleeding down, Laura, I'm going to need blood bags, she's lost too..." The doctor continued on, however, Kurama stopped listening and wished for the thousandth time he had the compact communicator to contact Koenma.

It's not like he could just call him up on a phone, international call or not, it wouldn't reach spirit world.

And it's not like his human contacts knew about spirit world, or if they did, they wouldn't have any better luck getting in contact with them than he had.

Making his way around back through the crowed, Kurama found himself heading back to the car, he was tired and it was likely the boys would return to the car.

He lay there for a moment, staring in boredom at the leather of the seat. He could feel his attention and memory slipping as each minute passed, assuring him they were out of time. However, he couldn't work himself up to care, at this point he wasn't sure he had a reason to live. His mother didn't remember him and his friends were doing well on their own, he wasn't needed.

Then again, when had he ever cared if he was needed? Sentimentalism is what gets you killed, what got comrades killed.

He was starting to think like a dead man, he realised after a moment.

As depressing as his thoughts were, he was still aware he wanted to live, whatever the reason was. It started as a bubbling in his chest and worked its way through him, giving him strength to hold on just a little longer.

Just as well, because the Winchester brothers tossed a struggling, spitting, red-headed form on top of him and slammed the door closed. Shuichi glared down at him from where he lay on his chest and the sound of doors closing alerted him that both the brothers were now in the car.

With the roar of the engine, Dean turned them back toward Bobby's, it was only a couple of hours away and Kurama sent a silent prayer to Inari that they would make it in time.

* * *

"Huh, Dean, drive faster." Sam warned worriedly from beside his brother.

Dean glanced in the rear-view-mirror, cursing at what he saw. Both Kurama's had passed out at some point and were growing paler by the minute, the demon looking worse off then the human half.

Bobby's was a blessed sight by the time they finally pulled into the driveway. The older hunter wasn't there to greet them, but it was probably just as well, Dean loved Bobby like a father, however, that didn't mean he wanted to trip over him while carrying the heavy demon into the house.

"Put them in the circle, we don't have much time." Bobby was already putting herbs into a bowl and other things Dean was sure he didn't want to know what they were when the walked into the office.

Doing as instructed, Sam stepped into the circle to place the human of the two halves in the circle. Dean followed suit and placed Kurama down as Bobby had placed the bowl in his lap to wheel over, it sloshed slightly with each turn of the wheel.

"Drou... past..li..e." The demon murdered and Dean bent down to listen closer, only to hear Bobby curse and something clatter to the floor.

Dean had just enough time to turn and see that the herb mixture had spilled across the seal before a flash of blinding light filled the room, followed by an explosion of smoke.

He wouldn't later tell anyone this, but Dean blacked out for a moment. Only a moment, but in that time something felt wrong. Carved from him, reminiscent of hell.

In hell, he remember, remembered the black filled purple eyes that glared scornfully back at him.

Eyes that were his and not his at the same time.

Coughing, Dean stumbled through the smoke to the window and flung it open, turning to where his brother stood trying to see if everyone was alright.

"Well, good new is, it worked, bad news is, your carpet's ruined." Kurama's silky voice coughed through the smoke, it cleared enough for them to see the demon hybrid, only the condition of the rug wasn't what surprised them.

It was Shuichi, except, he was taller, somewhere between the two brothers height. His hair, though missing the fox ears remained snow-white. His eyes however remained the emerald green of the human half.

"K-kurama?" Sam stammered and the demon looked pensive for a moment before looking down at his hands, his nails were still pointed.

A stricken look came over Kurama's face and a clawed hand snagged a cluster of hair, pulling it before his eyes.

"I-, I lived through the merging." Kurama stuttered, tears welling in the corners of his eyes before he broke down into sobs.

"Hey, it's okay, you could trim your nails and you could pass your hair off as a recessive albino gene." Sam said trying to comfort the crying man, mistaking his tears at the loss of being human and Dean rolled his eyes at his brother's sympathetic words. Like saying mushy crap was going to help the situation.

"It's not that; I'm over joyed. I never told anyone this, but the merging of our spirits was slowly killing me. We were always one person soul and mind, but our energies were always warring against each other. I had only five years left as it was, it's why I had planned on staying in the human world. My friends assumed it was until my human mother's life ran out, however, it was I who wasn't going to live long." Kurama chuckled, sniffing and rubbing the tears off his face with the back of his sleeve, the same clothes Kurama had created while the two sides of his soul had been separated. He now had complete control over his demonic abilities, though not as powerful as he was when he died the first time, he was close to his former glory and would be a challenge to even Yusuke.

Dean was surprised to hear that Kurama might have died and kind of glad for the guy that he wasn't going to kick the bucket soon. Though his mind was wandering, going back to the flash of hell he had.

Shaking his head mentally, Dean licked his lips from where they went dry in his mental wandering. Sam helped Kurama from the floor and Bobby rolled over to pick up the fallen basin.

"Well, now that is over, I have a lead on Death." Bobby said, wheeling over to his desk to set the basin for cleaning later.

"Really? How did you find anything? I've chased my tail trying to come up with something, anything." Sam asked in surprise and Dean couldn't agree more with his brother, something wasn't right about the way Bobby had said it.

"Well, go on Robert, why don't you tell them about our little scandal." The thick accented voice of Crowley purred and they all turned to look at him angrily.

"Bobby, you didn't." Dean said, realizing what had transpired, though it was more like a plea on deaf ears.

"It's the end of the world... What's one little soul matter?" Bobby answered sheepishly.

Dean argued with the demon and Bobby, who could blame him, making a deal with a demon never ended well. However, Sam interrupted his rant to ask if Bobby kissed Crowley and that was the last straw, getting ready to storm out of the room after seeing the proof the demon had on his phone, Dean paused only long enough to answer his ringing phone.

"Hello?" Dean answered, unsure who the number belonged to.

"Dean?" Castiel's voice came over the line, they hadn't seen him since Adam had said yes to Micheal months ago. He had almost given up hope their feathery friend was still alive and wished the angel had called sooner. They could have used the help with Pestilence.

"Cas? Are you alright? We're at Bobby's, mojo over here, we've been worried about you." Dean asked, only for the angel to inform him of his current predicament.

Convincing Bobby to send the angel money for airfare, they decided to wait on going after Death and discuss the warning Pestilence had given just before being defeated.

They had agreed to split up into two teams. Kurama, Dean and Crowley planned on taking a scythe the King of the Crossroads had acquired to go after Death. While Castiel, Sam and Bobby tried to stop the shipment of Croatoan virus Crowley generously tipped them off about.

The six of them were just confirming what to do when Crowley asked Bobby if he was just going to sit there.

"No, I'm going to get up and River Dance." Bobby replied sarcastically and Crowley chuckled.

"Didn't know you had it in you old chap. You really wasted that crossroads deal Robert." Crowley hinted and Dean could see that something was beginning to sink in for Bobby. He didn't know what until Bobby looked down at his legs in surprise and his foot gave a distinct twitch.

"I-, you..." Bobby trailed off in amazement and Crowley smirked.

"I'm a real charitable bloke, just don't tell anyone, I have a reputation to up hold and all." Crowley said before turning toward the Impala. "Well, times wasting boys, let's go kill Death."

* * *

Kurama wasn't sure what he thought of having met a real life angel. Sure he had heard about them in stories and rumors, however, it was strange knowing they were real.

Though Castiel hadn't been overly chatty and was almost completely human now. So Kurama wasn't sure what to expect from other angels if this one was about as friendly as a brick wall.

Crowley was more his speed, he had met many a demon just like him. Slippery, con artist who would pull you through a loop faster than a cobra's strike. There was no doubt in his mind the demon planned on using Bobby's soul against the Winchesters and their hodge-podge of a group.

Team free will, if Kurama remembered the name correct.

He saw indication of a pending betrayal when Crowley first failed to locate Death. However, the demon did eventually manage to follow through with the deal, Death sat in a pizza polar across the street, ironically, from where they parked.

Kurama and Dean both moved with caution, bodies littered the floor like dead flies and the thin man sitting enjoying a deep dish pie unnerved him more than the reapers surrounding Chicago did.

He almost startled when the scythe Dean had held clattered to the floor. If he hadn't been used to Yusuke and Kuwabara's clumsiness, he might have even dodged the nonexistent attacker.

"Dean, Kurama, so nice of you to join me. Please, have a seat." Death said without turning, motioning to the seats across from him lazily before returning to his meal.

Not sure what else they could do and able to tell they were way out of their league, Kurama took the lead, sitting as instructed.

"Have some, the pie here is delicious." Death ordered, serving them each a slice. Dean took a hesitant bite and Kurama mirrored him, agreeing that it was in fact the best pizza he had ever tasted.

"I take it, you're here for this." Death spoke after a long awkward moment.

Kurama had met many a reaper, even Koenma who judged where souls went after they died, but never had he met Death, the one responsible for keeping mortality in line.

"Huh, yeah..." Dean trailed off lamely and Kurama cleared his throat nervously.

"We would like to have it, Sir, however, we've sourly miscalculated our chances of acquiring it from you." Kurama stated as politely as he could. He thought it better not to lie when it was obvious the ring was what they had came here after.

"Indeed you are. Who ever said I wouldn't hand it over." Death smirked taking a bit of pie while the shock of his words wore off.

"So you're going to just hand it over? What's the catch?" Dean demanded to know and Death stared pointedly at him.

"Mind your tone with me boy. I was reaping souls long before your ancestors were even alive." Death scolded, pulling the ring off and setting it on the table between them.

* * *

Dean felt like a little kid, remembering times when his dad would catch him being rude to a teacher or being flippant about a hunt.

It just went to prove sometimes you never out grow a good scolding.

"There is a catch, you have to accept something else from me, Dean. Something you shouldn't be without. I dare say it's attributed to that hole in your chest. The one my brother spoke of." Death clarified, not for Kurama's sake, as he had no clue what the head grim reaper spoke of, however, Dean knew all too well.

The hole Famine spoke of, the one he couldn't fill, because he was already dead inside.

Like a part of him had been carved away and he was slowly dyeing from the inside out because of it.

Not unlike Kurama had been earlier in the day.

"The piece of me that got left behind in hell." Dean spoke, startling Kurama as the pause in between answering had been long.

"Right you are. I know you don't believe what Alistair told you while you spent those centuries on the rack, however, he wasn't lying about you being a demon Dean. Though not like the kind you accustomed to facing on a normal basis, I assure you." Death explained and Dean felt his stomach turn.

Why was it the worst parts of what Alistair told him turned out to be the truth? Why was it, that no matter how badly he wanted to forget his time in hell, it still came back to haunt him?

"Is there anything else?" Dean asked, unsure where this is leading. What did it matter if he died now anyway? Micheal already had a vessel and if the other half of Team Free Will failed to stop the Croatoan virus, then he was destined to die anyway.

"You have to end it Dean. The angels told you that to manipulate you, however, because of that, it became true, you are the only one who can end it." Death instructed and Dean gave a sigh of relief, thinking for a split second he was going to agree with Cas and his brother's idea for Sam to say yes.

"Okay, I will." Dean agreed and Death nodded, taking a sip of his near empty drink.

"You will, or die trying. However, there are a few things I would like to discuss before we get down to business." Dean wasn't sure what Death was talking about, but he did have a few questions of his own.

"Why are you doing this?" Dean questioned, trying to make his tone as polite as he could, but curiosity was still there.

"I'm glad you asked, you see, I want this leash Lucifer has around my neck off. Also, I think it fitting punishment for the other half of your soul to be joined with you. Much like your new friend here, he had a habit of taking things that didn't belong to him." Death said, taking another bite of pizza.

"If I might inquire, who was the other half of Dean's soul? There's something familiar about him, but I can't quite place it." Kurama asked and Death whipped his mouth with a napkin, clearing his throat.

"You'll find out soon enough, you are right in the fact you knew this particular demon. Now, before I retrieve that demonic part of your soul, would you like the instruction manual on how to work this?" Death asked, holding up the ring to Dean before dropping it into his out stretched hand.

* * *

AN: Just so you all know, I intentionally omitted Castiel from the encounter with Pestilence, it still happened pretty much the was it did in cannon despite that fact. I just wasn't ready to bring him into the story yet.

Please review, I enjoy them a lot! It's nice hearing people enjoy my work.


	13. Amongst Bandits and Thieves

**Fox in the Chicken Coop**

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Kurama was panicking and he had every right too.

Death had instructed the two of them how to power the rings, which was quite simple, an incantation that wasn't too hard to remember.

However, it had been when Death ordered Dean to lay on the floor, after returning with an old leather bag, that preluded Kurama's panic.

Death placed a glowing orb inside Dean, reminiscent of Genkai or Yusuke's spirit wave technique and suddenly the older man was screaming.

Not just a startled scream, but a scream of a man being ripped apart while he was still alive.

Thankfully that had only lasted a few seconds, long enough for the orb's glow to absorbed into the writhing man and Death to withdraw his fingers from his abdomen.

"Tell him I want what belongs to me back and he's to not stop at anything until it's returned. He'll know what I'm speaking of." Death spoke, standing and clasping the bag closed.

Kurama was about to demand what he had done or meant when the grim vanished, leaving a twitching Dean on the floor.

Crouching down next to the hunter, Kurama tried to wake him, but every time his hand had made contact, Dean would flinch away. With a huff, Kurama hoisted Dean up on his shoulder, despite the struggles of said man and hefted him out to the Impala, laying him in the back seat before pulling out his new cell phone.

His other half had destroyed the communicator Koenma had given him, so he isolated from spirit world until such a time they sent someone to find him.

So, regretfully he did the next best thing.

"Hello Rufus, this is Kurama."

_"Kurama? Oh, you mean that mutant thing the Winchester boys drug to Bobby's house. Whatever you want, call someone else."_ Came the short reply and the line went dead.

Resisting a growl, Kurama dialed the number again and the hunter answered with a gruff, _'what'_?

"I need your help. I don't know how to get back to Bobby's and Dean's incapacitated at the moment. I'm also not a very good driver and Dean would kill me if I even started his car up." Kurama tried to reason, he was seconds away from begging. After the fiasco with the cursed bracelet, his merging and being on edge with Crowley looming around, hadn't allowed more than an hours rest.

_"You're in Chicago, right?"_ Rufus asked just as Kurama was beginning to think the other hunter had hung up again.

"Yes, are you going to help?" Kurama asked and he heard a long exhale from the other end.

_"I better get a good scotch out of this. And by good, I mean expensive."_ The old grump demanded before hanging up for a final time.

Closing the phone, Kurama ran a hand through his silky strands before glancing down the block at the liquor store.

"It's almost as if he knew I was near one." He mumbled, eyeing Dean to confirm he would be okay for the moment. before climbing out of the car to complete his new task.

* * *

He had a raging headache, hair tickling his nose as he breathed in and out.

Cracking an eye open, he observed his surroundings, they weren't what he remembered the last time he was fully conscious, however, they were familiar.

Inhaling, he looked around the room he was in, taking in the well used furniture and dusty ornaments. Nothing had been changed in a long time and it suited him just fine, even though none of it belonged to him.

Frowning, he ran a hand through his hair, giving an experimental tug, wondering if the silky feeling of it was as real as it felt against his face.

Standing, making his way over to the vanity to sit for a moment, he peered at his reflection.

Minutes ticked by as he stared at himself, trying to place why the person staring back didn't look right.

Perhaps he was dreaming, that would explain the sudden lack of connection and disorientation he felt at the moment.

His ear gave a twitch as soft foot steps started up a set of stairs, prompting him to move behind the door, out of view of whoever would enter the room.

"Where is he, I'll kill him." A deep voice promised, it too was familiar, however, at the moment names were alluding him.

He would have pondered it further if not for the door bursting open, almost hitting him.

"Where is he." The man demanded again, turning to whoever still stood in the hallway. They hadn't actually entered into the room yet, so the man wouldn't have seen him despite facing into the hall. it hadn't been the best of hiding places, however, as there was no closet, behind the door was what he discovered first.

"I don't know, this is where he was after Rufus dropped us off." The other voice replied irritably and a tall man, the one the other voice belonged to, stepped in to properly survey the room, walking over to the window to peer out.

In clear view of him if he turned the wrong way.

"You should have kept a better eye on him, who knows what he's like now that his two souls have merged." The man reprimanded, the other male voice stepping into the room.

They were not related, he observed, one had floppy light brown hair and was overly tall, while the other had long milky white tresses and was of average height.

Sam, his memories supplied, though panic nearly over whelmed him as he couldn't place why he knew the name.

The tall one, Sam, turned to glare at the white-haired man, only for him to spot him. The other man turned, both gasping _"Dean"_ and _"Kuronue"_, confusing him.

An onslot of memories suddenly rushed him, his world spinning nauseatingly. Collapsing to his knees, he heaved, spilling whatever he had consumed recently on the floor.

As he tried to catch his breath between heaves, Sam had knelt next to him, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder.

"Dean, what happened to you? What have you done?" Sam worried, he could smell the fear rolling off the man and it only served to make him heave again.

It was too much at once and so he did the first thing he could think of.

When in doubt, flee and regroup.

So that's what he did, shoving the Sam away from him, he took off out of the door. Only to get a face full of a hard object, knocking him on his ass.

"What would you idjits do without me?" Bobby, his mind supplied through bleary eyes, spoke.

"Dean, just calm down, we'll work this out." Sam said, though he was disinclined to agree with that, seeing as Bobby had just smashed his face in.

"Tch, #* )#*$& ), (#* $)* (# *$& ) $&&#* !" He murmured, earning strange looks from one of the humans, however, the silver haired man who reeked of foxes and Sam seemed to understand.

"They are right, you're safer here, Dean. It's too dangerous for you out there during these times." The man spoke, he understood them, but didn't at the same time, almost like in a dream.

"Who am I? Everything is a little confusing." He said, his memories, supplying images of a balding man, of beings called angels and demons. He did know, at one point, he trusted these people standing before him. However, that didn't mean he wasn't still wary of them.

Sam and Bobby looked to each other, worried and not sure what he meant by that.

"You're my brother, Dean, at least, you were before Death put the other soul in you." Sam explained and the white hair man, a name which still escaped him, stepped forward.

"Kuronue. It was the name of the soul before it became part of you. He and I were partners, thieves and bandits, until he died." The man spoke and _'Dean'_ or _'Kuronue'_, he didn't know which, looked on in confusion.

"I think I know you." He responded finally, after a long silence, leaving them waiting with bated breath. "All of you. However, all I have are flashes and pain." He all but whispered, wishing he could just break down and cry. A part of him was disgusted at that fact and another knew he couldn't, not in front of these people, he had to be strong for them.

Running a hand over the scruff on his face and through his long locks, he stood once more, with the help of the older man, Bobby. He felt dirty and wished for a hot spring, a bath, his mind corrected, as he smelled of his own bile.

"It's okay, things will come back to you. You mentioned that you were disoriented when you first came back, just take your time boy. And then we'll worry about the apocalypse." Bobby answered, shoving him toward the bathroom he had stared at longingly.

At first he wondered why they had let him from their sight so easily. Until he looked for a way to escape and found none other than the door he had entered.

Deciding he rather take a bath than putting forth the effort of escaping, he settled for stripping of the jeans and T-shirt he wore, for taking a shower. It felt oh so familiar doing this motion, safe and calming.

He didn't have to think here, just go through motions he wasn't sure he always had the ability or the luxury of. Such as fresh running water and sweet smelling soaps.

The hot spray of water made him smile. He remembered when Bobby tweaked the water heater to not only make hotter water, but put a rosary in the filter to produce holy water.

Unlike before when he showered during the memory, now he could feel a slight stinging to the warmth, not enough to burn, but as if needles were piercing his skin.

It felt great, reminding him he was alive, it was decidedly different from...

The wave of nausea hit again and he doubled over, fighting back sobs.

He had been in hell. It was almost as if he had left and then went back to serve even more time. Though the second set of memories wasn't quite the same as the first.

The first time they had tried to break the human part of him and succeeded.

The second time around he was free to do as he pleased.

He needn't torture any longer, Alistair hadn't returned and so he slipped away from the racks to huddle in the relative safety of a fleshy cave. Not unlike the ones he and Kurama had hidden in centuries before.

Kurama, that was the name of the other man.

They had been friends; comrades in escapades many a fool wouldn't dare attempt.

Dean, Kuronue, both were his names, but this body was neither and both at the same time. However, Dean was the name he was born with during this time, the one his brother by blood knew him by. Kuronue was long gone, he was Dean Winchester now and he would stay as such, even if he remembered a time long since passed in addition to here and now.

* * *

Sam, like Bobby and Kurama, was worried Dean would never exit the bathroom. Every sound was agony to him, especially the sound of his brother shaving.

Not that he thought Dean would kill himself, more than likely, however, it was the fact he remembered how to clean himself, but not his own flesh and blood.

It was a shock seeing his brother with long, raven locks. Sam couldn't remember a time in his life when Dean's hair was more than a couple of inches long and not sandy brown. There was also the fact his brother now had claws.

It was stuff of his nightmares.

Loosing his brother, not to death, though that had happened at one point, but to being turned into the very thing they had been raised to hunt.

He couldn't kill his brother and Kurama didn't seem worried with the new change.

They had argued for a while before the kitsune had decided to leave Sam to wait for his brother. Kurama didn't see that Kuronue hadn't had the time to adjust to being human and that he could be a threat.

Especially with the way the two bandits had regarded humans during their time.

Sam knew he shouldn't allow himself to thinking that, but their family was cursed and he could just see this turning into one of his nightmares.

There was a click of the door unlocking, drawing his attention to the bathroom across the hall. Dean, cleanly shaven for once, however, still sporting long, dripping hair and clad only in a towel.

His brother looked at him for a moment, then away, almost shamed to look at him. Though Sam was certain it wasn't because his brother was embarrassed having his brother see him half naked.

They spent way too much time together for there to be any awkwardness.

"I'm sorry, Sammy." His brother finally whispered brokenly, shoulders slumped in shame.

"Dean, you remember? I mean everything?" Sam asked hesitantly, afraid of that blank look Dean had first given him. As if he didn't know his own brother.

"Yeah, for the most part." He answered, clearing his throat, he looked ready to collapse and Sam resisted the urge to hug him. "Things are still a little scrambled, but I think I'm good." Hugging him wouldn't help, it would only serve to push his brother away even more, closing up and refusing to talk about what was really bothering him.

Though he had a pretty good idea what that might be.

"What about... you know, being down there. Does your other half, do you remember?" Sam treaded carefully and Dean's expression was all he needed for an answer, even if his brother refused to admit it.

"It wasn't as bad as being on the rack, but it was still hell. Can we just leave it at that for now?" Dean admitted, all but begging him to drop it.

A year ago he wouldn't have. He would have demanded to know and argued with Dean until he had every last gory detail.

However, at the moment, he didn't know if he wanted to hear what hell was like. On the rack or off it.

Especially if they followed through with him saying yes to the devil now that they had all the rings of the horseman.

"Sure Dean, just, please tell me you're still you." Sam begged, half afraid his brother would be gone.

"I'm still me, in fact, I'm probably better than I have been since dad died."

To hear his brother say that should have been a relief, if not for the fact he was now a demon. However, instead of arguing it, Sam was going to take a page out of his brother's book.

Agree sarcastically and then keep a wary eye on every move he makes.

"That's good I guess, considering you were such a wonderful person to be around back then as well. Next thing I know you'll be trying to give me swirlies for being your nerdy little brother." Sam teased and Dean grinned, not just any grin, but the whole hearted, toothy grin Sam hadn't seen literally since their father had died.

"Nah, you're way too tall for that Sasquatch, if I could still fly, I would..." Dean began to say before the smile suddenly slipped from his face.

Dean, as far as Sam had ever known, never had the ability to fly, in fact, he hated flying with a passion.

"That is so wierd coming from my mouth." His brother admitted, with a shrug.

"Dean, you hate flying." Sam pointed out thinking it might have been something related to hell, but just to be sure, he pointed out the obvious.

"I do hate it, even in my past life I did. I was, am, a bat demon, Sam, but even then I preferred living on the ground." Dean informed him, though like with Kurama, he lacked the appendages associated with his previous demonic half.

"Bat demon? I don't think I've ever heard of those." Sam admitted, feeling as if he had entered the Twilight Zone, he could almost hear the theme music in the background.

"Yeah, he; I was the last of my clan. It certainly explains why I adapted easily to hunting and the night life." Dean chuckled, raking a de-clawed hand through his hair. Sam was glad he had trimmed them, but he was sure like with other demons, they would instantly grow back the second Dean was in trouble.

"And I bet it's why you're such an ass first thing in the morning." Sam agreed, it was strange hearing his brother speak of being a demon, as if it didn't bother him.

It only served to make Sam more worried.

Worried their plans would fall through. Afraid this thing before him was just wearing his brother's face, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Then Kurama's reminder that Kuronue had been a close friend came to mind. It did little to ease the turmoil his mind was in, so he pushed it down and decided for now he would just be glad in the illusion that his brother was standing before him, safe and sound.

"Got that right little brother. Looks like you're not the only freak in the family anymore."

Sam huffed, rolling his eyes. "Jerk."

"Bitch."

Maybe his brother hadn't changed as much as he thought...

* * *

AN: Please review and thank you for reading!


	14. 23 Minutes In Hell or Whatever

I would like to apologize to my readers. I have meant to get this last chapter out sooner than I have. However, I have been swamped with school work lately, I was trying to get my GED, which I succeeded in getting with flying colors. I have also been taking a pre-college writing course in between my part-time job and chores. Hopefully I will be able to get the sequel underway within the next couple of months when my class ends, maybe sooner, but I would like to thank you all for being very patient with me!

Sincerely Miss Spellings and All,

Murakami no Kitsune

Enjoy~

* * *

**Fox in the Chicken Coop**

**Chapter 12**

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oOo...|23 Minutes In Hell...| . . .oO-|-Oo. . . | Or You Know, Whatever...|

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* * *

Kurama wasn't sure how the conversation had started, however, he was arguing with Dean on the merits of paper clips over other things you could find in luge of lock picks.

They were having an end of the world party, as they planned on starting their journey to Detroit the next day. Earlier Dean had bullied Chuck into telling him where Micheal and Lucifer were going to have the big shindig.

There had been copious amounts of alcohol consumed so far, granted it took more for him to even feel it and he suspected with Dean's high tolerance before when he was human, he was finding it even harder to get drunk.

Though somehow they had managed to get intoxicated.

Which explained the various empty bottles strewn about.

"Hey, you're not even listening to me fuzz ball!" Dean growled out, kicking him in the shin.

For a moment, it was almost as if Kuronue sat before him.

"I'm sorry Dean, it's been a long time since I've drunk. What were you saying?" Kurama chuckled, his attention wavering seconds after the other man started speaking again.

Sam was playing a game of cards with Castiel and Bobby, nursing a beer and shooting accusing glances their way. It explained Dean's sudden sullen attitude, as they had argued earlier in the day when Dean told Sam he wasn't going to allow him to say yes to the devil.

It had been a hair brained plan to begin with and it sounded something like what Kuwabara or Yusuke would have cooked up. Even Kurama couldn't see saying yes to the devil being a good idea.

"And Kurama likes wearing lacy underwear and makeup." Dean ranted, drawing Kurama's attention back to him. He felt doomed to never be able to listen to another of the younger man's conversation.

Though that was just the booze talking, he was feeling a bit melodramatic.

"I have not nor will I ever wear woman's lacy underwear, need I remind you who it was that always played the distressed maiden when luring travelers into a trap?" Kurama smirked and Dean huffed.

"I told you to never bring that up again, fox. But what's eating at you? You've been distant the whole conversation." Dean complained, though Kurama could sense the underline concern, though it wasn't warranted.

"Nothing, just trying to imagine how this is going to turn out." Kurama stated in half truth, however, there were other thing occupying his mind.

"You're always thinking one step ahead..." Dean murmured, then shook his head. "I mean; that's wired coming from me, talking like I've known you." Dean elaborated, racking a hand through his now elongated hair.

"It's alright, it confuses me on occasion as well, just try to think of it as a vivid dream and things will get easier to sort out." Kurama assured him, taking a sip of his drink, only to realize the glass was empty. It baffled him a moment, he hadn't remembered finishing the drink, however, he was the only one who could have drank it, unless Dean had done it to spite him when his attention had wavered.

"Yeah, I suppose." Dean agreed tiredly, stretching back in his seat with a sigh, glancing out the window.

Kurama's attention once again decided to allude him, however, this time it was a mutual distraction, something luminescent in the dark was making it's way toward them. Cursing himself for not being more aware of his surroundings, Kurama sent out a wave of energy to see what was approaching.

Dean had a gun in his hands before the ding of power could come back, alerting him to what, or rather who, it was.

"Wait, it's a friend." Kurama shouted as Sam and Bobby had guns out as well. He hopped from the chair, flinging open the window to allow the person entrance, because all the years he had known them, they still lacked the ability to use a door.

"Kurama!" Botan shouted joyfully, falling from the oar into his arm for a hug. She was tense despite seeming to be happy to see him. "Oh thank heavens I found you! I thought I wouldn't make it in time." Botan sobbed.

"What's happened?" Kurama inquired, returning the curious looks of the angel and older hunter, who were wondering what was going on with a confused expression of his own. They looked the most on edge and he hoped they wouldn't attack her despite his lack of understanding about why she was here.

"Oh it's just awful, I know you didn't do it on purpose, however, that young woman in the hospital died yesterday and Koenma is bound by law! King Enma has decreed you be hunted down and brought in dead or alive!" Botan sobbed, clutching at his jacket and burying her face in his shirt.

"It's alright, it couldn't be helped. I've already cut ties with the Ningenkai and will return to Makai after everything is settled, they won't be able to touch me there." Kurama assured the blue haired woman, looking to the others in worry. Almost afraid they too would accuse him of being a murder.

"Don't give us that look boy, it's not like you were completely yourself." Bobby grunted, stowing his weapon of choice away. Kurama was certain the older human felt guilty for leaving such a dangerous object in the open. If it had been anyone other than Kurama who had touched it, than the consequences could have been drastically worse.

"I'm so sorry Kurama, we tried everything, however, even though you're off probation, you're still a high enough threat King Enma would want to dispose of you." Botan sniffled, rubbing under her eyes to wipe away any smears.

"It's not the first time I have been hunted and I know it will not be the last. You should be going, you wouldn't want to be caught aiding a criminal now would you?" Kurama half teased, he was sure King Enma would find any excuse to damper his son's reign, even more than he already was.

"Be safe Kurama and call if you need anything, Yusuke is doing the best he can to get things straitened out. However, if you're caught you won't make it to trial if King Enma has his way." Botan advised, handing him a new compact and giving him one last desperate hug before disappearing on her oar with a sad wave goodbye.

"So who's the hot reaper on the oar again?" Dean asked, his face nearly split with the toothy grin he was sporting.

And they say foxes are bad about seducing women.

"Don't even think about it." They all chorused.

* * *

oOo

* * *

He had been up for hours, just standing there staring out the window at his baby. The sleek black ride would have been near impossible for him to have seen when he was purely human, however, she practically glowed in the non existent moon light.

Dean was all but drooling over her, it was almost as bad as when he claimed ownership of her for the first time. He was ecstatic to get on the road and a part of him was dying for the feel of her rumble in his chest.

It was still a few hours before the others were due to wake, though he was almost certain Kurama was up. In their past lives they had always been more lively during the night hours, so sleeping before the sun came up was a chore.

Sam's heavy foot falls made their way down the stairs and he couldn't help the sudden tension in his shoulders. Sam had given him death glares since his change, no matter how much light of the situation Dean tried to play it.

If it wasn't for The Apocalypse, Dean was sure his little brother would have blown up about it or be looking for a way to 'fix' things. As it was, the Gigantor was breathing down his neck every second of the day and though normally it wouldn't bother him, Sam had also made attempts to ward his things.

However, unlike a full demon, it only burned slightly when he grabbed them.

Sam's personal weapons he could forgive being warded, hell, even his brother's dairy; but the clothes? Not that he did the laundry often, but it was a pain, literally, to have to handle laundry that fought back.

Apparently thinking of the devil brought him to you; well, in this case the devil's vessel, but who was he to dispute the difference?

Sam settled behind him on the coffee table, Dean had slept on the couch and was still stretched out, so there wasn't any room for his brother's larger frame.

"Dean." Sam started and he couldn't help the release of air, knowing full well what his brother was going to try to start.

"Look, no if we die talks, alright?" Dean all but begged, the idea of loosing Sammy again wasn't something he was wanting to entertain right before a fight that was sure to have casualties.

"That's not what I was going to say, but we should talk about that too." Sam said and Dean had a sudden sense of doom.

They were totally talking about his current disposition right now, apocalypse be damned.

"I know, Sam. I really, truly do, but you do realize that even angels couldn't change what's been done to me, right?" Only in his mind would he ever admit he was afraid of what he had become. Even when he was once a demon, Kuronue, the thought of eternal damnation often plagued him, however, having met angels, his hopes hadn't risen any higher.

"I know, I'm trying to accept that, but Dean, what if... what if you start craving human flesh or blood..." Sam trailed off, 'like me' lingering in silence.

"It's not going to happen. Kuronue, the-breed-I-am-was-a-fruitarian." Dean mumbled, blushing, it wasn't too long ago he had poked fun at Sam for his idol being a fruitarian and it was killing him to have to admit this.

"What? I didn't quite catch that." Sam asked, confused that maybe he hadn't heard him right.

"I, he, ate fruits and nuts, occasionally vegetables like tomatoes. Kind of like a fruit bat..." Dean clarified, not brave enough to repeat the word.

"Dean, tomatoes are a fruit, but that's good, I suppose." Sam let out a sigh, though he didn't sound like he believed him, though Dean was willing to prove it to him over time.

"Though I am half human, so don't expect me to start eating as if I were a rabbit like you. In fact, I could really go for a burger before we cram Lucifer back in the cage." Dean grinned, 'patting' his brother on the arm, though it was hard enough to be considered a smack.

"I think I would be more worried if you started eating healthy; kind of like pigs flying and hell freezing over." Sam teased, easing Dean's tension some. If they could keep this up, maybe things would loosen up between them.

"Yeah, I don't see that happening anytime soon. Been there and there isn't a snow balls chance of that happening." Dean chuckled, stretching and standing from the couch with a groan. It was more out of habit than the fact his body was aging.

Dean was certain the reverse was true, he seemed to regressing in age. Nothing extravagant yet, just a wrinkle here and a mole there, not that you would be able to tell with the lack of sleep he normally got.

However, if it continued any longer, he was going to be a really young-looking almost thirty year old... allot like Kurama.

"I'm going to hit the head, we'll head out in about an hour." Dean said, turning from his brother with the depressing thought of the fact he might out live Sam as far as natural causes are concerned. It was something he would have to ask Kurama about if they survived the fight with the devil.

* * *

oOo

* * *

Sam was pretty sure this plan sucked; if there was a plan at all. They had been driving for hours and the closer they got, the more Sam craved blood. It was starting to turn into the worst craving he has had in a long time and Dean thankfully seemed too preoccupied to notice yet, not that he was trying to hide it. Kurama placed a hand on his shoulder, nearly making him jump out of the seat.

"Is something the matter Sam?" Kurama inquired and Sam felt like hurling everything he had managed to choke down that morning.

"Dean, pull over." Sam demanded shakily, groping for the handle even as the car swerved to the shoulder of the highway.

Tripping over the door frame, he stumbled to his hands and knees, heaving as the shakes raked his body. He needed blood and he was about ready to kill to get it, which scared the living hell right out of him. A shiver ran down his spine as his brother stepped up next to him, he didn't smell as enticing as demons, but there was something there. Almost like when you want steak, but all you have is hot dogs, it's not steak, but it's still protein.

"Dean, it's happening again, if I run into a demon now, the kind we fight, I'm going to lose it." Sam admitted, running the back of his hand over his mouth.

"Great, why now? You haven't been..." Dean trailed off accusingly and Sam shook his head.

"No, it's as if the closer we get, the stronger the cravings are. I don't know how much longer I can hold out." Sam confessed, taking his brother's offered hand to help him stand, gravel crunching between his boots and tar.

"You're strong Sammy, just hold out a little longer, okay?" Dean pleaded, they were close Sam knew, soon he would have all the time he needed to deal with this, just a little longer.

The warmth of his brother's hand staved the urge for a moment. This was his brother, he was sure of it now. Never before had anything pretending to be his brother elected such strength. Even with a suppressed lack of confidence, Dean was strong, Sam knew that now and he knew what he had to do to repay everything his brother has done for him.

"Yeah, I can, let's get back on the road, day light's burning." Sam agreed feeling a little stronger, but by no means were the cravings gone.

Determined, Sam settled back in the seat, shakes nothing more than chills now, he set his mind to his new task.

He'd be damned if he lost his brother again.

* * *

oOo

* * *

Something was up with the youngest Winchester, Kurama was sure of it. Dean seemed aware of this fact, so Kurama brushed it off, assuming it had something to do with the demon blood. Though, Kurama wasn't supposed to know about that yet, so bringing it up wasn't an option.

There was an intense feeling radiating from Sam that was almost demonic. However, it was unlike the demons as Kurama knew them, so he could only assume they were the type the Winchester brothers normally encountered. It was puzzling, in all his years, Kurama hadn't come in contact with such vile feeling creatures. Sure the Spirit Detectives had their fair share of baddies, himself included, but this was on a whole other scale.

Speaking of his friends and ex-Detectives, there was the little problem of him being a wanted yokai again. The more he thought about it, the less enticing meeting up with Yusuke was becoming.

How could he put such a burden on his friends? How could he drag such trouble to the door step of a trusted alley?

His friends were strong, but even if they combined their strength, they still would not be able to take down Reikai, especially if King Enma got involved.

However, that didn't impede his return to Makai, though a detour might be in his best interest. Possibly a trip to a couple of his hide outs, gather a few funds and lay low for a while. Not to mention there was still Death's demand that was nagging him and if they survived this, Kuronue still had that debt to pay. Dean couldn't remember anything that Death might want from Kuronue's memories, so they were going to have to track down every object they ever stole.

It was a good thing that he was a full demon once again and it wouldn't be long before Dean was as well, because this was going to take a very long time to accomplish. Between the two of them they had over five hundred years worth of thefts accumulated and that was just the petty thefts to feed themselves.

Releasing a puff of air he refused to call a sigh, Kurama banished the thoughts from his head for the time being. Planning ahead was a good thing, however it was useless if he didn't make it out of this battle alive. There were too many variables to account for and lack of knowledge on angels not withstanding.

Then there was what Dean- Kuronue had asked of him.

"You seem troubled." The deep rasp of Castiel's voice startled him, he had almost completely forgotten the stone like figure next to him.

"It's only natural when going up against something you've never faced before. I suppose I should be comforted by the fact you are so calm." The chuckle he let loose was replaced with a grimace when the angel didn't return the smile.

"I am not calm because I think we can win. I have come to accept the fact I am most certainly going to die today." Castiel stated with such certainty that if Kurama hadn't been faced with such overwhelming odds before, he might have been disheartened by the comment.

"Enough, no one's dying, not on my watch." Dean barked, glowering at them through the mirror, almost as if he were daring them to challenge him. "And if I so much as think you're going to say something to the effect of goodbyes, I'll cap you myself on principle alone."

It was rather inspiring, even Kurama couldn't help feeling a little pepped up from his words. It was one of the reasons he like Yusuke so much, he had a way of motivating people and it reminded him so much of Kuronue it hurt.

Shaking his head to repress a chuckle, reminding himself that Kuronue wasn't dead anymore, he pulled the rose seed from his hair and coaxed it bloom as they drove past a sign that said Welcome to Kansas.

* * *

oOo

* * *

They were within minutes of arriving, but Dean knew Sam wasn't going to last much longer, even with the burst of energy he seemed have. They were driving into the lion's den and it was only going to get harder for his brother. Demons would be swarming this place, he was sure of it and Sam lacked the self-control needed to resist the urge to drink blood.

The car rumbled under them and Dean wished he could do more, this plan, if you could call it that, had a lot of holes in it. However, if it worked out, everything he held dear should be safe.

Much like he had done with Sam in his human life, he had relied on Kurama to be the thinker of their ragtag group. He was more of a go with the flow kind of guy. However, that only got you so far with people smarter and stronger than you. This time, he was the one with a plan, even if he was the only one who knew what it really was.

He had no delusions that the devil was smarter than him. How could the dick-with wings not be? Lucifer was a couple billion times older than him and that wasn't counting the time before humans were created. The thought made his brain hurt and he found himself concentrating on finding somewhere to park so they could figure out where the devil was exactly.

There was a pull off not too far ahead of them and he pulled in, he could sense Micheal near by and knew it wouldn't be too much longer as Bobby's car behind them. He shut off the engine and turned to look at Sam who was pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezed shut trying to block something out. His brother took a deep breath, relaxing as best he could and glanced at him, knowing he had been caught.

"There's demons all over the place. I don't know how much longer I can hold out Dean, I can feel him here and it's impossible to think strait." Sam muttered, looking guiltily in the back seat at Cas. Dean could tell it still bothered Sam about Castiel's apparent dislike of him over the demon blood thing.

"How bad is it really, Sam? Do you think you can continue on?" Dean asked, he really needed Sam for this fight, he couldn't do this without his brother.

"Yeah, I'm fine... well, not fine, but I'm sure I can get through this Dean, just trust me, okay?" Sam pleaded and Dean inhaled, it was ingrained in him at this point to hesitate in answering. He needed to really think it through, but it didn't take long before he realized he wasn't as bothered about this as he thought he was.

"Yeah, I can do that Sammy." Dean grinned and punched Sam lightly on the shoulder before he climbed from the Impala. Kurama was already out of the car and Dean berated himself for not noticing the door had opened and closed. Cas got out of the car, closing the door with very little effort even though Dean knew that door stuck just slight about half way through shutting it.

"Alright, Lucifer is-"

"That way, I know, I can sense it too." Dean admitted, cutting his brother off and earning a cross look from Bobby. Pulling out a Molotov-cocktail, he handed it to Castiel, giving him a hug with a quick pat on the shoulder as he slipped the last piece of his plan into place. He handed Cas his lighter and then walked over to where Kurama was leaning against Bobby's car, standing there stoically.

"Be careful Kurama, if things look bad, get Sam, Bobby and Cas out of here, alright?" Dean asked the fox demon standing calmly before him. Kurama gave him a pensive look, and took Deans hand in his.

"I won't abandon you either Dean, we were- are friends and friends have each other's back." Kurama promised him.

"I know... thanks Kurama." Dean said, finally pronouncing his name right since he had received his past life's memories.

Sam stood from where he was digging a machete out of the trunk and glared at something behind Dean and Kurama. The both of them turned and growled at the demons that thought they were sneaking up on them.

"Take Sam, we will deal with these vermin while you distract the angels." Kurama offered and Dean nodded, looking to Sam and silently instructing him to get back in the Impala.

The doors closed on the Impala just as the first demon showed it's self and the tires kicked up dirt as it's serrated body hit the ground, rendered useless by Kurama's Rose Whip. Dean chanced a glance at Sam, giving him a grim smile, telling him it was time. Sam reached over to the tape deck, pushed the cassette he had chosen in and cranked the volume on Def Leppard's Rock of Ages.

'Gunter, glieben, glauchen, globen! All right! I got something to say! Hey it's better to burn out! Yeah! Than fade awa-a-a-y all right oh! Gonna start a fire!' Roared from the speakers as the Impala, in all her shining glory, rolled to a stop just a few yards away from Micheal and Lucifer who seemed to be exchanging angry words. Dean mildly wondered if that was what Sam and he looked like when they argued. It was eerie to know that they were born to be like the one of the two most known forces for good and evil. It was too bad Micheal wasn't actually all that good or he might have agreed to being his vessel.

However, Dean had no sympathy for the angel's cause, not when he was wearing the face of his younger half-brother, Adam. At least now he knew for certain that Adam hadn't made it out of the green room Zacharia had held him hostage in. If he could sell his soul to the devil to bring that bastard back and kill him again slowly this time, he would almost be tempted to actually go through with it.

They stepped out of the Impala, earning a glare from both of the angels standing in the cemetery in front of them. Dean didn't really care they were pissed at them, the feeling was mutual and this time, he was confident that if he kept on his toes, he might actually be a challenge this time.

"Howdy, boys." Dean grins, taking a cocksure and mockingly at ease stance next to his brother.

'We're gonna burn this damn place down! Ooh, ooh! Down to the ground.' The music taunts in the background.

"Sorry, are we interrupting something or are you going to continue making out?" Sam grins, feeding off Dean's charisma.

"We need to talk." Dean stated, looking at the two angels with a knowing smirk.

"Even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid." Lucifer sneered at the eldest Winchester.

"Oh yeah Dean, what's so important that we need to talk about it in front of these girls?" Sam asks, playing along. It was the same thing they used to do when bullies were picking on them in school, it came natural at this point.

"Well, you see Sammy, there's these two Dicks who think that they're better than us and that it's okay to pick on our little brother. Now I'm no 'Saint', but I say these mother fuckers need to be taught a valuable lesson, apparently their daddy didn't teach them to play nice with others." Dean taunts condescendingly, wagging a scolding finger at them.

"I say they need a time out, what do you think o'brother of mine?" Sam's smirk was mirroring Dean's now and bother angels looked ready to smite. Dean stopped smirking, the previous gusto being replaced by pure, unadulterated anger.

"I say it's play time."

* * *

oOo

* * *

Bobby hadn't seen anything move quite as graceful as the young redhead was moving at the moment. Kurama was a whirlwind of movement and Bobby was hard pressed just to paint the devil traps around them. Castiel stumbled through one of the traps with a demon hanging onto the collar of his coat. Castiel pulled the demon off him and then quickly moved out of the trap, leaving the demon behind.

"Bobby, watch out!" Castiel warned, holding the shotgun he had up and shooting behind the older hunter when he ducked out of the way. Bobby picked up the pace and closed the trap he was working on, trapping the demon that had snuck up on him.

That left the one Kurama was dealing with and then they would be free to go help Sam and Dean. Only when Bobby turned to see what was taking the yokai so long, he was stunned to see Kurama on the ground next to the dead demon, pinned by something invisible.

Raising his old revolver, Bobby fired just above Kurama and was satisfied to hear a yelp. Kurama turned over and grabbed the hell-hound that had been on top of them, stopping from going after Bobby.

"Go help Dean and Sam, there's only one of them, I can take care of it, it's not the first time I've fought something I couldn't see." Kurama ordered and Bobby hesitated, uncertain if there was only one, but then he remembered Kurama having mention something about spirit energy and being able to sense things the night before.

Bobby popped open the barrel of his revolver, loaded his last two bullets into a couple of the chambers and then snapped it closed. He began reading the exorcism, that way Kurama could focus on the hell-hound. It took a minute, grunt of struggling was hard to listen to and Cas was looming, impatiently, worried about Dean and Sam. As soon as the smoke from the demons clear, the two wasted no time making their way over the hill.

* * *

oOo

* * *

Dean was amazing and Sam wasn't sure what to think about that. He was currently floating down from where Lucifer had chucked him across the field and he had yet to get a scratch on him.

However, when Dean landed, Lucifer appeared behind him, catching his brother by surprise. Lucifer grabbed Dean by his newly elongated hair and forced Dean's face into the ground so hard that Sam could feel it from where he was standing, several yards away. With a cringe, Sam moved to help his brother, but then suddenly the face of Adam appeared in front of him.

"You're no longer the vessels. You have no right to be here." Micheal seethed and Sam could tell he was in a load of hurt if the Archangel decided to attack him. He wasn't super powered like Dean and his powers were at an all time low, not that they worked on angels.

"Adam, if you're in there, Dean and I are sorry we couldn't save you." Sam said, catching Castiel approaching out of the corner of his eye. The apology only seemed it irritate Micheal more and Sam had a feeling he was going to be attacked soon.

"Adam's not home right now." Micheal growled, raising his angel blade at Sam for the attack he had expected.

"Hey Ass-butt!" Castiel shouted, drawing Micheal's attention just before the Archangel was able to strike. Castiel tossed the Molotov cocktail at the Archangel, catching him on fire and banishing him for the time being. The shout and ultimate banishing drew Lucifer's attention, enough for Dean to get free from the angel's vice like grip.

Ignoring Dean for the time being, Lucifer's attention was drawn on Castiel, rage burning in his eyes.

"Ass-butt?" Sam wonders aloud and Bobby shrugs.

"He'll be back and upset, but you got your five minutes." Castiel informed them, stiffening as Lucifer got closer.

"Castiel, did you just Molotov my brother with holy fire?" The devil before him demanded. Sam couldn't think, all he could do is feel the overwhelming power radiating off the ex-angel. He could see Dean pulling out the horsemen's rings and sneaking up behind Lucifer.

"Uh... no." Castiel lied, probably for the first time, not that it was even slightly convincing.

"No one dicks with Micheal but be." It happened fast, a simple snap of the fingers, reminiscent of Gabriel's signature move and Castiel exploded in a rain of gore.

"Cas!" Sam couldn't help the anguished yell and Lucifer turned on him. However, Bobby shot him point-blank, drawing the attention away from Sam.

When Lucifer faces him, Bobby shoots hims again in the front on reflex and with a twist of his hand, Lucifer snapped Bobby's neck, just in time for Micheal to reappear.

However, it was too late, Dean had crept up behind, he tossed Sam the rings and wrapped his arms around the two angels.

"Now Sam!" Dean shouted, tendrils of roots shot up from the ground and surrounded the angels. Sam tossed the rings on the ground at their feet and shouted the incantation to unlock the cage.

"Kurama, let go of Dean so he can shove them in the pit!" Sam shouted after the portal opened, turning to where he though Kurama stood, only Kurama wasn't there.

His attention snapped back to Dean in fear. Dean smiled sadly at Sam, the roots picked them up and hoisted them over the pit. Time seemed to slow down, his brother's face contorted in pain, the angels strength breaking bone in their struggle to get free of the roots, but it was too late.

They were already descending into the pit and Sam's feet seemed to be fill with lead. Three steps and it was over. Three steps Sam managed to take toward the pit before it closed, swallowing his brother forever.

"No!" Sam scream at the ground, collapsing on the spot that had closed, beating the ground with his fist in a vein attempt to open it again. The rings had vanished.

"I'm sorry Sam." Someone said behind him, jumping turned and Castiel stood over him, completely unharmed.

"Cas, you're alive!"

"I'm better than just alive." Castiel said, touching a finger to Sam's forehead, healing the self-inflicted broken bones in his hands.

"You're an angel again." Sam stuttered then he remembered his brother, who was now in the pit. "Bring Dean back... please, you did it once, do it again." Sam begged.

"I'm sorry Sam, I cant, it's impossible without releasing Micheal and Lucifer as well." Castiel apologized, stepping over to Bobby and reviving him.

"Balls, what happened?" Bobby demanded, looking around for any danger.

"Micheal, Lucifer and Dean are locked in the cage." Castiel informed Bobby forlornly.

"Balls, can't that boy keep his ass out of hell? Is there anything we can do?" Bobby asked, picking up his revolver and brushing the grass off it.

"I found this when I took the Molotov from my jacket." Castiel pulled an envelope from his coat and handed it to Sam.

Sam opened it and pulled out Dean's ring and a piece of paper. He hadn't noticed Dean wasn't wearing it when they got out of the Impala, but now that he though about it, he didn't remember Dean having it on. Unfolding the letter Sam took his time reading his brother's semi tidy handwriting.

_Dear Sam,_

_You better be alive to read this._

_If you are reading this, then I'm more than likely dead, or else I would have stopped Castiel from handing this to you._

_Don't try to bring me back. It's going to be hard, I know, but we can't chance Lucifer getting out of the cage again._

_Watch out for yourself, stay with Bobby for a while if he's made it through this and then find yourself a girlfriend, have kids, a picket fence and if trouble comes knocking, fight back with everything to have to protect it._

_I have one last favor to ask of you Sam._

_If Kurama made it through this nightmare, could you apologize to him for me. I believe I've asked too much of him this time. I all but forced him to give me one of his plants for this plan and I know he suspected what I intended to use it for, but don't blame him for my death. It's going to hard enough on him having lost me once again, he's a lot more fragile then he allows others to think he is, but I've known him for longer than I care to admit. Deep down he feels too Sam, just remember that you're not the only one grieving over me._

_I chose this Sammy, ever since that night in Cold Oak, when I held your limp body in my arms, I vowed I would die before I lost you again. I just never expected to die twice over that vow, but it's funny how or little fucked up world works sometimes._

_Take care Sam, don't make me have to come back and kick your ass back into shape._

_Seriously though, next time the world might not survive a Winchester messing with the balance of the world._

_Bitch_

Sam snorted, almost loosing snot out of his nose. He had sobbed so hard through the letter that he almost couldn't see the last dig his brother had gotten in.

"You're such a jerk." Sam muttered at the letter, handing it to Bobby so he and Castiel could read it.

"That idjit, we're not going to take this crap are we? Maybe there's a way Sam." Bobby offered as he read the letter through.

"No, we're going to respect his wish, he's right, next time we might not be as lucky." Sam whipped his face on the inside of his shirt and then looked around. "Where's Kurama?"

"He was fighting a hell-hound, I thought he would be here by now." Castiel said, looking down the road to the hill that blocked their view.

Sam had just enough time to catch his breath to suggest they should look when Castiel's hand landed on his shoulder and they were standing near Bobby's car. Sam looked around the gore that was left and it took him a moment to spot Kurama sprawled on the ground.

Kneeling down next to the demon. Kurama was bleeding and Sam was shaking so bad he barely missed the pulse underneath his fingers. "He's still alive! Cas do something."

Cas knelt and touched Kurama's forehead and the demon gasped, coming to with a startled yelp.

"Whoa, calm down, you're safe now." It took a moment, but Sam's words finally sank in and Sam continued on to explain how the fight went down before Kurama could ask.

"I should have known." Kurama let out a long sigh and Sam could see him trying to keep it together for his sake.

"He left a letter, he said he was sorry for putting this on you." Sam told him and Kurama nodded.

"He forgets that I owed him a life debt, he should have let me do it." Kurama growled and Sam shook his head.

"I don't know about Kuronue, but it's not Dean's style, he wouldn't let someone else take the fall for what he considers his responsibility. i know you're going to miss him and it'll be hard, but don't beat yourself up over this, it's what Dean wants." Bobby said and Sam was sure the older hunter was talking to both of them.

Sam started to say I know, but Bobby pulled him into a hug and told him not to be an idjit. It was almost as if he could read Sam's mind.

Kurama stood, thanked Castiel and Sam knew this was going to be the last time in a long time he was going to see him as the demon seemed to vanish in a blur.

He there was a silent agreement between them just before he vanished.

They weren't going to leave Dean in hell.

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

Dean had taken a lot of shit in his day, but the crap he was getting from Micheal and Lucifer was obscenely more than he deserved.

Adam was huddled in a corner, mostly protected from the flames by the bars of the cage. He had tried at first to help Dean get away from the angels, but it had only earn him their wrath as well.

The only time the brothers had to themselves is when the two angels would start bickering between each other, which happened less and less the longer they were in here. During that rare time when the two still bickered, Dean had convinced Adam to stay back and let him take the fall. Of course they had argued about it at first before Adam relented when he couldn't take anymore or the torture.

Time moved the same as it had the last time he was here, a century had passed, letting Dean know they had been here for at least a year. It was that fact, knowing not much time had actually passed that allowed him to hold on this time. Plus there were the differences, this time he wasn't strung up on the rack unless one of the angels wanted him there.

That left him plenty of time to plan an escape. To think things through before he acted and possibly made things worse for them if it failed.

All that was left was to wait for the right moment...


	15. Sequel!

AN: I have good news for all of you! The sequel for "Fox in the Chicken Coop" is up and the first chapter posted! The new title is "Snow of Time".

I would like to thank everyone for their patients in waiting for the sequel. I would also like to inform everyone that I will be updating edited chapters for "Fox in the Chicken Coop"... Finally.

Thank you all again and I hope you enjoy the next installment of "Fox in the Chicken Coop". 


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